From the Beginning
by SilverLinedApathy
Summary: Hiei and the rest of the gang find themselves on a repeat mission rescuing an ice maiden from a human crime lord. However, they soon realize she isn't just any ice maiden - she is the future leader of the Glacial Village. An instant hatred for her has Hiei ready to split ways as soon as possible, but life has other plans for him. HieixOC Rated for language and some themes.
1. Chapter 1

"What the hell, Koenma?" Yusuke griped. "Didn't we do this mission like four years ago?"

"Did you think that Tarukine's gang was the only group of humans who deal in demon exploitation?" Koenma asked.

"But tons of them died in the whole Dark Tournament thing," Yusuke pointed out.

"That was only one crime ring," Koenma explained impatiently. "These people are from a different group entirely."

"Regardless, I have no interest in leaving my post in the Makai for this particular endeavor," Hiei announced.

Kurama raised a brow at his friend, but said nothing. Kuwabara, on the other hand, asked, "What, don't deem this important enough for you, Shorty?"

"I have no interest in freeing an ice apparition from her human prison. You should be more than capable of doing this yourselves."

"Um… Koenma, sir?" Yukina piped up. The group of fighters turned to look at her in surprise, not realizing the young ice maiden had stayed in Genkai's meeting room once the Rekai prince had arrived. "Who is the ice apparition this group is holding captive?"

"Her name is Asako."

Yukina gasped in horror. Hiei's attention was immediately piqued at his twin's distress. "You know her?"

"Yes," she replied shakily. "She was my best friend growing up. How long have they had her?!"

"Sources indicate she has been missing from the Ice Domain for three years."

"Oh my…" Yukina muttered. "That's… that's so long! I can't imagine the awful things they've probably done to her, trying to get her to cry…"

Koenma nodded and said, "We suspect that by this point that have broken her and have kept her as a continuous source of tear stones."

Yukina shook her head in disagreement. "No, Asako won't have broken."

"How do you know, Yukina?" asked Kuwabara.

"That is a long time to endure whatever practices those criminals can come up with to harvest the tear stones," Kurama agreed.

"In the Ice Domain, we are trained not to cry. We go through pain tolerance training, emotion control training, torture training… Asako was the top of our class at everything. There wasn't even any competition. No… I'm positive she has just been enduring their torture this entire time." The ice apparition turned to Hiei, her eyes pleading. "Please go with them, Hiei. If they've managed to capture and detain her all this time, then they're strong. Yusuke will need as much help as possible to get Asako out of there."

Hiei was silent a moment before breathing a sigh. He still didn't care about the other ice apparition, but if she was important to his sister, he would help. "Fine. I'll go."

"Thank you, Hiei!" said Yukina with a wide smile.

"Now that we're all on board," Koenma continued, not bothering to hide his irritation. "The guy heading this gang is called Lee Minato."

The Rekai ruler lifted a photo of a fairly nondescript looking man. He had brown hair that was closely cropped on the sides and a bit longer on top. He had beady grey eyes and a sneer that looked permanent. The four fighters committed the image to memory.

"This is the most recent photo we have of Asako," Koenma said, lifting another image.

"Wow, Yukina, you ice apparitions must all come from an attractive gene pool," Yusuke commented.

Hiei had to admit that the Ice Maiden in the picture was stunning. Long silver hair fell around her angular face. She had deep sapphire doe eyes that would have been more attractive if not for their cold emptiness. Her mouth was small, but her lips were full and elegantly arched. She was naturally beautiful, but the clench of her jaw, the frown on her lips, and look in her eyes indicated she was just like the rest of the wretched women of the Ice Domain.

"Asako," Yukina breathed, crimson eyes on the photo of her childhood friend.

"Don't worry, Yukina. We'll save her!" Kuwabara assured.

"I will conjure a portal that will bring you a few miles away from the gang's hideout. It's on a densely forested island, so our intelligence on their security is limited."

Yusuke shrugged and said, "No problem. We can handle some human thugs and their hired demon help."

"Let's not be too cocky, Yusuke," Kurama chided.

Hiei agreed with the detective, but instead asked, "Can we go now? I'd like to finish this so I can return to the Makai."

Koenma nodded. "I'll open the portal outside. Once you have retrieved Asako, call and I will create a portal to bring you back here."

The four fighters nodded their understanding and stood, ready to begin the mission.

* * *

"Morning, Ice Whore."

Asako gave no indication that she had heard the man. She remained sitting ramrod straight on the floor of her prison, legs folded beneath her. Her silence had long since fazed her captor, though, and he merely moved to stand in front of her.

"You will break someday," Minato promised. "There's no hope for you, so long as you refuse to cry. You will spend the rest of your life in here, starving, thirsty and sleep deprived. I will keep coming up with new ways to inflict pain on you. But if you cry, all that can change."

The ice maiden said nothing, and continued to stare ahead, unblinking. The crime lord whistled and in came one of his demon minions dressed in an ice resistant suit. The demon carried a bag with him that he set down beside the female. Minato backed out of the room, allowing the hydraulic door to lock back into place. Asako let her energy fill the room, freezing everything. She knew it wouldn't have any deterring effect considering the demon's suit, but she couldn't simply sit there and take whatever was in store for her.

"Today, I want blood," the demon announced with a twisted grin. He squatted in front of her and opened the bag. From it, he withdrew jagged blades, a lighter, and an assortment of other tools. He picked up a small knife and flicked the flame to life at the tip of the lighter. He passed the flame back and forth across the blade several times, heating up the metal. With a grin, the demon pressed the hot blade flat against the side of her neck.

"You Ice Maidens are bizarre creatures," he mused. He pulled the blade away, leaving a long, triangular shaped burn behind. He began passing the blade over the flame again. "Not a sound or even a flinch. But can you last the entire time it takes me to carve you up?"

* * *

"I forgot how much I hate Cultivated Humans!" Kuwabara roared in frustration.

"I think the end is finally in sight," said Kurama, lashing his whip and taking out several more of the creatures.

Hiei turned to look over his shoulder at the doorway into the next room. "Incoming!"

Demons poured into the room, flying at the four fighters.

"Oh, come on!" Yusuke shouted his frustration before firing off his Shotgun.

* * *

Asako kept her eyes trained ahead despite the hand threaded through her hair pulling her head to the side. The position allowed her torturer to run his tongue up the side of her neck. He growled in appreciation and continued to swipe his tongue across the rivulets of blood he had drawn. Moving until his lips brushed her ear, he muttered, "Time to keep cutting."

He yanked her hair back, forcing her to the floor. Asako didn't react. She watched the scene as if from above. Her eyes travelled over the too thin frame of the pale woman below her. Her skin was covered in scars, bruises and newly opened wounds. Her silver hair was a matted, tangled mess. She watched as the demon pulled another blade from his bag. He carefully positioned the tip of the knife over the left side of her chest and began retracing an old, thick scar. The ice apparition couldn't remember what the woman looked like without scars.

* * *

"Well, that was more trouble than this woman could possibly be worth," Hiei complained, wiping his sword clean on the cloak of the demon at his feet.

"She's Yukina's friend," Kurama reminded.

Hiei rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything. The four fighters made their way deeper into the building, allowing Kuwabara to take the lead given his attuned spiritual awareness. They had been walking for some time when they finally saw the silhouette of a figure up ahead in the darkened corridor.

"Hey!" Yusuke shouted. The figure froze then darted into a room. The four ran ahead and stopped in front of a heavy, locked door. With one hard kick, Yusuke had the door tumbling to the ground. A blast of arctic air hit them and a demon in a bizarre looking protective suit flew forward.

"Hiei, you get the girl!" Yusuke ordered, dodging a punch.

"Have the oaf do it, since he loves women so much," Hiei snapped.

Kurama flicked his whip to block an attack aimed his way and said, "You're the only one of us who is resistant to ice, Hiei."

"Fine," he growled and slipped into the room while his comrades took down the demon in the hallway. The human, Minato, was in the room, standing over the ice apparition with a gun pointed at her.

"Don't come any closer or the girl gets it!" he warned. Hiei flitted forward, knocking the weapon from the human's hand. He reached out and grabbed the man by the collar. Immediately, static crackled on his skin and he let out a pained groan. Tendrils of smoke escaped from between his fingers. Summoning his strength, he pushed through the pain and threw the human out the door into the hallway with a simple warning for his friends, "Don't touch his clothes!"

He cast his gaze down at his hand and found that it was terribly burned. The fire apparition tried to flex and curl his fingers, but merely winced in pain. He hoped this was an injury Yukina could heal, because the damage was pretty severe. There was also a strange tightness behind his breastbone. Ignoring the unexplainable feeling, Hiei turned his attention to the ice maiden. She had pushed herself to her feet and had backed herself into the corner of the room. Her hands were raised in a defensive fighting position.

"We're not here to hurt you," he assured.

"Who are you?"

"We work for Koenma."

"No. Who _are_ you," she demanded, her voice sounding frightened. "His clothes have hundreds of tags sewn into them that burn ice maidens. It was a way to make sure I couldn't harm him. But you…"

Hiei glared at her and snapped, "Don't overthink it. Let's go."

"No."

"You don't have a choice in the matter. Especially considering you've cost me my hand."

He moved in closer to her, about to toss her over his shoulder, when her hands shot out and latched onto his shoulders. Their eyes met and he gave her his fiercest glare. Her sapphire eyes gazed blankly into his, before there was a sparkle of realization. "I know of you…"

"No. You don't," he assured with a growl.

"Your eyes," Asako muttered. "They're just like hers… Yukina's. You're her brother."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," he hissed, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her closer. "Let's go. And don't bring up such nonsense again, or I will – "

"Not threatening our ward, are you, Hiei?" Kurama asked in a bemused tone.

"Not unless she forces me to," he responded. He asked the ice maiden, "How much strength do you have? You look like death."

"Hiei," Kurama shook his head in exasperation.

"I'm not going with you," she said. "Just let me go."

"I told you, that's not an option," Hiei snapped.

Her aura glowed blue around her and the temperature in the room immediately dropped. Her eyes iced over and she said, "If you take me, you will _never_ be able to make me cry. Save yourself the trouble."

"We're not trying to take you prisoner," Kurama reassured, raising his hands in defense. "We were sent here to free you."

"You've done that. Let me go."

"You're in no condition to be out on your own. Look at yourself," Hiei snarled. "Any low class demon could take you down."

"I'll take my chances," she insisted, snow beginning to swirl around her palms.

His patience officially gone, Hiei moved in closer, backing her into the wall. "I'm not dealing with your dramatics. You're right; I am her brother. So just try to freeze me."

Asako paused, and he took advantage of it, tossing her onto his back. Her arms locked around his neck and her legs around his hips. "Was it really so hard to admit?"

Hiei faltered, realizing how quickly she had deduced how to use his temper against him. She knew his impatience would prompt him to concede to what she already knew to prove her ineffectualness. Ice maidens truly were cold, calculating creatures.

* * *

"Oh my gosh, Asako!"

"Yukina?" There was a shadow of surprise on the silver haired woman's face.

Yukina wrapped her friend up in a hug and the group soon heard tear stones clattering to the floor. Through her tears, she managed, "Asako, what did they do to you?!"

Hiei had to admit that in the brighter light of Genkai's temple, the newly freed ice maiden's torture was evident. Her skin was sickly pale and littered with scars. Some were from cuts, some from burns. A fresh burn shone on her neck and there were a few thin cuts on her throat. She was on the edge of emaciation, which was clearly visible considering her only clothes were a thin pair of shorts and a cropped tank top. Perhaps worst of all was a cut on her chest, clearly an old scar that had been split open innumerable times, and once more recently. It took the form of a heart, carved out above where the organ resided.

"Most things," Asako answered blankly. She blinked once before looking at Yukina. "Could I bother you for something to drink?"

"Oh, of course! I'll get some food, too," Yukina agreed quickly. She hurried from the room and Asako glanced at the four fighters before sinking down next to the coffee table. Her expression was arranged to be carefully blank, but Hiei assumed she was uneasy based on her general lack of eye contact.

Yukina returned with tea and a platter of steamed buns she must have made previously and reheated. The boys took up seats at the table as well. Yukina sat beside Asako and Hiei sat on her other side. Kuwabara sat on Yukina's other side and Kurama and Yusuke sat opposite the ice maidens. The silver haired ice maiden lifted the teacup to her lips and took several sips.

"I hate to be intrusive, Asako, but Koenma will want a full report on what happened in the time you were held by Minato and his men," said Kurama apologetically.

The ice apparition looked at him vacantly for a moment before reaching for a bun. She nibbled it slowly, drank several more sips of tea, and then sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"How did they capture you?" Yusuke asked.

"I left the Ice Domain and there were a bunch of demon thugs hanging around in the forest below where the Domain floats. The crime ring had several camps set up in the forest full of demons waiting to stumble upon an ice apparition. They didn't know exactly where the Domain floats, or how to get there, but they had hoped one would venture out. They overwhelmed and captured me, then brought me to the building where you found me. I don't know how long ago that was, though."

Her brows knit together as if she was troubled by this, but her face remained otherwise expressionless. "Minato told me that my time there could either be comfortable or painful. He said that I could live comfortably in my room with clothing, regular meals and whatever else I may want if I just provided them with tear stones. Alternately, they would make me cry. Little did he know that a third option would hold true; I never cried."

Hiei was surprised as her lips twitched up into a smile. It was brief, but it spoke of the pride she felt in herself for her resistance. Kuwabara asked, "How did you manage that? It looks like they were awful to you!"

"Ice apparitions are trained not to cry, no matter the pain. It's really hard to break us," Yukina answered. "Asako was always the toughest apparition in our age group."

"I didn't have much choice," she shrugged.

"Why is it so important that you all learn to do that, though?" asked Yusuke.

"It keeps us safe," Asako said. "If people capture an ice apparition and can make her cry, then why shouldn't they go out and capture another and get double the tear stones? And when those two bring in a fortune, why not double that? But if one of us is captured and gives up nothing, then why bother capturing more? We're all unbreakable, so there's no point."

Yusuke nodded. "Makes sense. Still, that's rough for kids."

The silver haired woman merely shrugged again. Kurama then asked, "What were the conditions like for you while you were held by Minato? What did he do to try to get you to cry?"

"Well, it's pretty evident that they withheld food," she said. Her voice was flat, so Hiei wasn't sure if she was annoyed by Kurama's questions or if she was trying to jest. "They also withheld water and clothes, and disrupted my sleep cycles.

"They tried just about everything to make me cry. They beat me, choked me to near black out, burned me, used electric shocks and acid, nearly drowned me, cut me, you name it. They killed a human and a demon in front of me, cut off chunks of my hair, tied me up in painful positions … The only thing they didn't do was any form of sexual assault. Not for lack of trying, mind you. They just ran out of volunteers after a few unfortunate frostbite incidents."

"Oh, Asako," Yukina breathed, pitching herself forward and wrapping the other ice maiden in a tight embrace. "You shouldn't have had to go through all that."

Hiei had to admit that it was impressive that the woman in front of him had endured such a level of suffering without giving into the enemy. It made him angry that some pathetic humans and demons could spend three years doing that to someone, hoping one day they would succeed in breaking her down. Even considering all the bad things he had done in his lifetime, he couldn't fathom methodically trying to destroy a person.

"So… what now?" Asako asked, looking around the table.

"Now you stay here and recover," Yusuke answered.

"Yes, I'll heal whatever injuries I can," Yukina added. Her hands began to glow blue and she slowly worked them over Asako's body. Hiei watched some minor cuts and bruises disappear, but his sister's healing couldn't touch the scars. When she finished, the teal haired maiden asked, "Do any of you guys need healing?"

Hiei nodded. He withdrew his burnt hand from his pocket and presented it to Yukina. She cradled it between her palms. He could feel his skin repairing itself, but the uncomfortable feeling in his chest didn't go away. Regardless, when she finished, he stood. "I've been away from the Makai long enough."

He turned to leave but stopped when Asako said, "Don't you think that's dangerous after touching those tags?"

"No. Yukina fixed my hand, so there's no reason for me to stay,"

"Well, those tags have an effect on demonic energy. They lock it up. Can't you feel it?"

Hiei didn't respond, not wanting to concede that she had provided helpful information.

Asako continued, "There's no telling how long before you'll be able to access your demon energy. Last time they used those tags on me, I couldn't use mine for nearly a month."

Hiei's brow twitched.

"So then… Perhaps Hiei should stay here until his hand heals completely and his energy is usable," suggested Kurama.

"No chance," the irritated fire demon retorted. "Even without my energy I can easily hold my own."

"Still, someone should stay here as protection until we're sure the threat has been entirely eliminated. It's protocol. And if Hiei's demon energy is jacked…" Yusuke trailed off, leaving his implication hanging.

Hiei had a sinking suspicion that he was about to be very unhappy with his comrades.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! I'm glad to be back with another HieixOC story. This one is already done and edited, and I plan to put out at least three chapters each week. As always, I own nothing, and appreciate all Likes , Favorites, Follows, and Reviews, and I will be replying to all reviews.

-Silver


	2. Chapter 2

Hiei groaned, shutting his eyes tighter against the morning sun. He didn't want to get up, which was rather out of character for him. However, he had just lived through two of the longest weeks of his life and he wasn't quite ready to start the third. He rolled onto his back on the bed in one of Genkai's guest rooms, wishing he felt something other than the tight emptiness in his chest that meant his demon energy was still unavailable to him. Although he was now stuck at the temple as a body guard, he could at least sleep outside if he had his power back. The levels of spirit and demon energy at the temple ran too high a risk of apparitions wandering onto the grounds and although he talked tough, Hiei knew that sleeping out in the open without his demon energy was a terrible idea. But he really needed to get away from Asako.

It wasn't that she was loud mouthed and nagging like Botan, or painfully naïve and short-tempered like Keiko. She wasn't mean or disrespectful, either. But she infuriated him. She was cold, aloof, expressionless. Just another ice maiden as frozen as the domain she hailed from. She was a constant reminder of the women who rejected him and threw him to what should have been his death. Just another one of them.

He was happy that Yukina was excited to spend the days with her best friend, though. It made being around Asako worth it at least some of the time to see his sister smile so brightly. Of course, he also saw Yukina get upset fairly frequently because he and Asako just could not get along. Granted, he probably picked a lot of the fights, but she knew just how to add fuel to the fire. He'd rather go on a solo mission with Kuwabara than spend a week alone with the frigid ice apparition.

Crimson eyes opened, unable to ignore the bright sunlight any longer. The dark haired male slowly got up and made his way to the shower. The only good thing about Asako, other than making Yukina happy, was that she was nice to look at. Hiei didn't bother denying the physical attraction he felt. At least not to himself. It was pointless; he was a male demon, and although he didn't often find himself attracted to a woman, it wasn't outside the realm of normalcy. She was quite pretty even after several years of torture; she needed to gain back some weight and color to her skin, surely, but it was easy to see that she was naturally attractive. Plus, he had seen the photo of her before her capture and knew she was beautiful. Her body was covered in scars and burns, and that only made Hiei more attracted to her; she was incredibly strong. If he could stand her personality to any degree, he may have pursued her, if for nothing more than a roll in the sheets to take the edge off. But that wasn't the case, so she was at least nice to look at as a distraction from the day to day monotony of waiting for his energy to be accessible and for Koenma to decide the ice maiden didn't need a body guard anymore.

Hiei finished showering and toweled his hair to a semi-dry state before getting dressed in his usual black on black attire. With a weary sigh, he exited his bedroom and headed toward the kitchen. He was marginally surprised to see Asako sitting at the table with Genkai, breakfast already made and in front of them.

"Morning," the ice maiden greeted blandly.

Hiei merely grunted and fixed himself a plate and a cup of tea. He was about to disappear with them, but Genkai snapped, "Do you have any manners, Hiei?"

He rolled his eyes, but took a seat at the table with the women regardless. He ate a bit more quickly than normal, not keen on spending much time with the women if Yukina wasn't there. He couldn't help but glance at Asako as he ate, watching how she looked down at her plate blankly and slowly brought the food to her lips, as if she didn't really want to eat it.

"I didn't think bodyguards usually watched their charges perform such menial tasks as eating," Asako commented, not even lifting her dull eyes. "Or are you just being creepy?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Hiei snapped. "If I ever want to leave here, you have to gain back some strength. You won't do that if you don't eat. I'm just making sure you don't keep me here any longer than necessary."

"I'm not keeping you here," Asako sighed. "Koenma is."

"To watch you."

"I told him I didn't need nor want a guard. I'm stuck just as much as you are."

"You could at least sound like you're unhappy about it," Hiei sneered.

She finally turned her sapphire eyes on him, though her expression was still unreadable. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you're fucking annoying," he retorted, unable to hold back his anger any longer. "You take apathy as a personality trait to a level that's ridiculous."

"Well, you're not exactly a peach," she replied evenly.

He scoffed and went back to his food. The fire apparition could feel her eyes remain on him for a few more moments, but then she stood and made quick work of washing her dishes. "Hope you enjoyed breakfast, Hiei. Thank you again for your hospitality, Genkai," she said as she left the room.

"Doesn't fucking get it," he grumbled under his breath, temper dangerously short after the entire interaction.

"It's you who doesn't get it," Genkai snapped. "You may not like what her cold demeanor reminds you of, but you aren't the one that's fresh out of three years of physical and mental torture."

The short woman stood, placed her own dishes in the sink, and exited the kitchen. Hiei chewed his food slowly, pondering the old woman's words. He supposed it would be hard to act normally after what the ice maiden had endured, but he didn't see what exactly Genkai was getting at. He shrugged it off, finished his food, and decided to head to a training room to stay on top of his hand-to-hand skills.

* * *

"Where's Yukina?" Hiei demanded.

Asako turned in her seat at the coffee table to look at him. "In town getting food for dinner. Why?"

"Why didn't you go with her?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"I can't go anywhere without you, and I didn't want to interrupt your training."Hiei was surprised by her answer. He shook it off and made to leave the room. Asako halted him, saying, "I smell blood."

"Thanks for sharing," he quipped, taking a few more steps.

"Were you looking for Yukina because you need healing?" she asked, stopping him in his tracks once more. "You know all ice maidens are taught healing skills, right?"

"I'm fine," he replied stiffly.

Asako frowned and said, "Look, I know you don't like me, but at least let me repay you for my inconvenience. Besides, from the smell of things, you hurt yourself to an extent that can't be comfortable."

Hiei considered leaving the room anyway, but she had inferred correctly that his injury was a pretty good one. "Fine."

He turned and sat cross legged on the floor beside her. She turned to face him and looked at him expectantly. The fire apparition withdrew his hands from his pockets, revealing his broken and bloody knuckles.

Asako frowned again, but didn't make a comment. Her hand glowed silver and for a moment Hiei was jealous for her ability to access her energy. He stamped the feeling down, realizing how stupid it was, and offered her his right hand first. She took it, cradling his wrist in her left hand and hovering over the wound with her right. Her sapphire eyes were locked on her work, giving him the opportunity to study her face now that they were in such close proximity.

She had long lashes framing her large eyes. Her nose was small and very slightly upturned. She had a freckle on the edge of her left eyebrow. And her lips were full and inviting. More interestingly, though, they were not pressed in a line.

"This may be the most emotion you've shown in two weeks," he drawled lazily.

She glanced up at him briefly, then looked back down at his hand. "What do you mean?"

It was the second time that week he had commented on her aloofness and she had asked for clarification. He wasn't sure if she was playing dumb or if she really was confused by his comments. "I mean you're actually frowning instead of staring at me like an idiot."

"I wasn't aware I stared at you," she replied.

Hiei felt his annoyance rise and took a moment to watch his skin slowly regrow as he willed himself to calm down. After a moment he said, "You don't stare; I meant you are cold and emotionless and it pisses me off so much that even a frown is a pleasant change."

"Oh," she said simply. Her brows knit together for a moment, before her face returned to a neutral expression. She didn't say anything else, but the slight shift in her face led him to believe she was thinking over what he said. Finally, she spoke up again, "Sorry that I piss you off."

He rolled his eyes at her non-apology and wondered if it would've really been so mad to wait another couple hours for Yukina to return. "You haven't told Yukina anything, have you? About who I am?"

"No," she shook her head. "You asked me not to, so I won't. Though I do think it's insulting how little credit you give her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he retorted, eyes narrowing.

Asako didn't reply right away. She was intently inspecting her work, rubbing her thumb gently over each newly healed knuckle. Despite his anger, Hiei couldn't help but notice the tenderness she touched him with. Had anyone ever touched him like that before?

"I mean, do you really think she hasn't figured it out or that she doesn't at least speculate that you're her brother?" she finally asked, switched to begin healing his left hand.

"She's never said anything to make me think she does."

"Probably because she gets that you don't want her to know since you've never told her. Knowing she's found you and that she can have a relationship with you, even if it's never acknowledged as a sibling relationship, would be enough for her. So if she suspects, or knows, she would probably never mention it because she'd already be happy and would want to respect your choice not to tell her."

Hiei was silent for a moment before saying evenly, "If nothing else, you know Yukina very well."

"She was my only friend," she shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe she still is."

Hiei wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he didn't. He merely watched the ice maiden regrow his skin and mend the joints he had damaged. When she finished, she tenderly rubbed at his knuckles again, and he let himself enjoy the feeling. He was disappointed when she eventually removed her hands.

"That should do it. Sorry it took so long. I haven't used my healing skills in a long time."

"Why didn't you use them on yourself after…?"

She shook her head. "I did at first. But after about six months of daily torture reaping them no benefits, my captors began withholding food, water and clothes. Within a few weeks, it was harder to muster the energy to both take the torture and to heal myself every day. So I focused all my energy on surviving. That's why I have so many scars."

Her voice was neutral until she spoke of her scars; she almost sounded troubled. Hiei raised a brow and said, "So what if you have scars? Every scar just means you survived."

She looked at him blankly for a moment, eyes roaming his face. "I hope I can come to think of them like that someday. But for now, each scar is just a reminder of things I'd rather forget."

"Asako? Hiei? Could one of you give me a hand with the bags?"

Hiei had seldom been so thankful for his sister.

* * *

"So no signs of any danger?" Kurama asked.

"Nothing," Hiei shook his head.

The two apparitions were seated outside on the steps leading up to Genkai's temple. Kurama had come to speak with the shorter male so as to give Koenma a mission report. Hiei would have liked to get away from the temple for an hour, never one to be confined to one space, but the prospect of going to the Reikai to speak with its prince was even less appealing. He was thankful Kurama didn't mind the role of liaison.

"And your demon energy?"

"Still nothing," Hiei replied bitterly. "It's been three weeks. The woman said it took almost a month, but hers became accessible again."

"Perhaps the time the energy is locked up is related to how much energy there is?" Kurama mused. "Although I can tell Asako isn't weak, she certainly isn't as strong as you."

"I hope you're wrong with that theory, fox," Hiei grumbled. "I want my energy back, and my patience grows thin."

"No, yours?" Kurama teased. He chuckled at the glare he received, then switched topics. "How is Asako's health improving?"

"She's doing fine. She's gained some weight. I'd say about five pounds."

"That's it?" Kurama asked.

Hiei nodded. "She doesn't eat as much as I'd expect of someone who was starved."

"Talk to her about it, if you can."

Hiei laughed darkly and said, "I try to avoid talking to her."

Kurama gave Hiei an unimpressed look and asked, "Is she really that bad, Hiei?"

"She's one of them. An ice maiden through and through."

Kurama frowned, able to read between the lines. He sighed; this wasn't a battle he wanted to pick. "Yukina is an ice maiden, too, and so was your mother. Give Asako a chance."

"I can't make any guarantees," Hiei shrugged.

"Seriously, Hiei, try. You may come to like her."

"Doubtful. A pretty face means nothing if she's a cold-hearted ice apparition."

Kurama lifted a red brow in curiosity. "A pretty face?"

Hiei shrugged. "Tell me you didn't notice."

"I did," Kurama nodded. Slowly, he ventured, "I'm just surprised you did."

"Just because I don't show interest in women doesn't mean I'm not. I have feelings and needs like any other male demon."

Kurama chuckled and admitted, "I suppose I always assumed you were either immune or able to ignore it. But that just means you should really give her a chance, Hiei. If you're already attracted to her…"

"I'm going to stop you right there, fox. Don't get carried away."

"All the same…" Kurama trailed off then shrugged. "Regardless, I have a few more questions from Koenma."

* * *

Hiei had to admit, he was actually content being at the temple. Other than the fact that it was the evening which marked three and a half weeks passing. Regardless, he sat on the windowsill in the living room while Genkai sat in her arm chair, watching the nightly news, Yukina sat on the couch, and Asako was on the floor in front of Yukina as the turquoise haired apparition braided her silver hair. It was a quiet, comfortable evening, so Hiei should have known to prepare himself.

"And now, our top story of the night," came the voice of the female news announcer. "A bank has been robbed in downtown Tokyo, thought to be the work of the gang run by notorious crime lord Lee Minato."

Crimson eyes flew to the silver haired apparition, gauging her reaction. The image of her captor and torturer lit up the television screen. Hiei watched her try to carefully rearrange her expression back to a neutral one, but she was obviously tense, and he had seen a fleeting glimmer of fear in her eyes.

"Authorities have tried for decades to take down this gang, but to no avail. Their leader has made a fortune from theft, murder for hire, prostitution and human trafficking. Tonight, we speak with one woman about her experience being treated as property of the gang. Our very own Kira Tanaka has the story."

The image on the TV changed to feature a different reporter and another woman. She wore a blazer, but it was clear that she had experienced physical abuse by the gang. Her chest and neck held several visible scars, and there were a few on her face as well.

Asako stood suddenly, pulling her hair from Yukina's hands. The shorter ice maiden protested, calling, "Wait, Asako! Maybe hearing what she has to say will be helpful! You're not alone in what you're going through, so maybe-"

"Yukina, stop," Asako cut her off shortly. "You don't get it, so don't try."

Hiei was caught between being angry at the silver haired woman for being rude to his sister and understanding that she was incredibly upset. He decided he could be a bit of both. "Don't be rude. Go put a coat on; we're going outside for some air."

Asako stared at him blankly for a moment, perhaps debating if she should argue or not, but disappeared without a word. Hiei looked at Yukina, frowning when he saw that his sister's eyes were glassy. "Yukina, she'll be fine. She's strong, you've said it yourself."

"I know she is, but nobody gets through what happened to her unscathed."

Five minutes later, Hiei was walking aimlessly around the grounds behind the temple, Asako trailing behind him. They continued on in silence for about a half hour before the ice apparition spoke up quietly, "Hiei, can we stop? I'm exhausted; my body isn't used to this."

He frowned, annoyed at his own oversight. Of course she was tired; she'd been confined to moving around a single room for three years and was not even a month off being restricted on food. He nodded and the woman practically dropped to her knees. Her breathing was on the heavy side. Hiei awkwardly sat on the grass beside her. "You should eat more. It will help your body get back to normal if you put on some more weight."

"It's still… strange to be able to eat more," she answered. "My appetite hasn't fully returned."

They fell back into silence for a long stretch before Hiei finally said, "Yukina was just trying to help."

"I know she was," Asako replied evenly. "I shouldn't have been cross with her, but seeing his face…"

The woman just barely repressed a shudder and Hiei was unsure of what to say. So they sat once more without talking for a stretch. This time, she broke the silence.

"I know that Yukina was captured by Tarukine's gang about a year before I was taken by Minato. But she was only there for about two weeks, right?" When he nodded his confirmation, Asako continued, "I know she must have dealt with hard things there. And she held out for a while, but one thing Minato wouldn't let me forget when I first got there was that she broke and cried. Tarukine made a killing off her tear stones, and that's what drove Minato to station his men in the forest to wait out for another ice apparition. I guess a small part of me resents her for that. So when she tries to talk to me about dealing with what happened, I get… angry. Partially from that resentment and also because she endured two weeks because you are her brother and Koenma didn't want to clean up any mess you would make going after her. But there was nobody in my corner and I was there for years. Watching a fellow survivor on the news isn't going to undo that."

Now Hiei really didn't know what to say. Partially because he could perfectly understand everything the woman was saying, and also because she had never been so open before. Slowly, he said, "Time doesn't heal, but it does make things easier to deal with. You are strong, and will get through. If you didn't break then, you won't break now."

With a shaky breath, Asako muttered, "Just because I didn't cry doesn't mean I didn't break."

* * *

Thank you so much for the views, follows, favorites, and reviews. I hope this chapter is as well received as the first was! I appreciate any feedback on the story and my writing, and will always reply to reviews either by PM or in the note at the end of the next chapter for guest reviewers. As always, I own nothing.

Ava - i'm really glad to be back! It's been perhaps a bit too long. I'm glad you liked the first chapter, and hopefully that continues to hold true! Let me know what you think if you have the time!

Jessica - Glad you enjoyed the first chapter! I plan to update at least 3 times each week, so hopefully that will be fast enough!


	3. Chapter 3

Hiei wasn't sure how to feel after the conversation he had with Asako. They had walked back to the temple shortly after her confession and didn't speak the entire way. She muttered a goodnight before disappearing into her bedroom. He had done a quick walk around the complex to make sure there was nothing out of the ordinary before retiring to his own room. Now he lay on his bed, staring unseeingly at the ceiling.

He had definitely seen a new, rare side of the ice maiden. Although she had remained mostly her blank faced, even toned self, there were moments when emotion bled through in her eyes and in her voice. But the things she said had him thinking. She certainly wasn't stupid and was, in fact, probably rather intelligent. He hadn't given it much thought, but she was likely right in her deduction that Yukina had only been recovered so quickly because she was his sister and he would have made a mess for the Reikai in his efforts to free her. But Asako didn't have someone like that on her side, and she was pushed down the list of Reikai priorities until they had the time to find her location.

But what really got to him, were her final comments. Yukina had suffered from the trauma of her two weeks of torture. When he had been about to take revenge on Tarukine, she had stopped him, emotionally unable to handle any more violence. Part of that was surely her gentle nature, but all the same, she was repulsed by violence for a while afterwards. She had nightmares and was often scared and paranoid in public for a time, too. It was understandable, after what she had been through. But Asako had lived that reality for three years. And though he was very much sure that the silver haired apparition was a good deal stronger than his sister, she shouldn't be expected to be fine.

 _"Just because I didn't cry, doesn't mean I didn't break."_

He had already admitted to himself that he was impressed that she could take whatever Minato and his cronies did to her for years without providing them with a single tear stone, but he shouldn't have assumed she was alright based on that. He knew from personal experience that great pain didn't always manifest in tears.

For the first time, he understood why Koenma had assigned her a body guard. Not only was she at risk of potentially being taken again, but his walk with her proved that her body was still weak. And their conversation left him with little doubt that she needed more time to become more emotionally stable as well, despite how emotionlessly composed she always seemed.

More than ever, he wished he had never accidently touched those tags which had locked away his energy. He was ill suited to deal with this.

* * *

Hiei avoided being alone with Asako for the next several days. Once he felt like enough time had passed that she wouldn't bring up the conversation they had, he decided it was safe to set his plan in motion.

"Get up," he ordered, having just barged into the ice maiden's bedroom.

She sat up quickly, startled. Her sapphire eyes struggled to adjust in the dark room, but she seemed to relax slightly when she saw him. "Is something wrong?"

"We're going for a run," he stated with finality, leaving no room to argue.

"Oh?"

"You need to get your body back to normal if you want to survive back in the Makai. I'd like to fight you some, but you're not ready for that kind of physical exertion. So we're running."

"Alright," she agreed easily.

The fire demon backed out of her room, relieved she hadn't put up a fight. Then again, she did have the cold logic of the ice maidens, so maybe he should have expected her to see the reason in his words. He shrugged and waited for only about five minutes for her to emerge. She wore navy blue cotton shorts and a plain grey tank top. Her silver hair was swept up into a ponytail. Even only half awake and with plain clothes covering her thin frame she was pretty.

The pair quietly left the temple and walked to the edge of the forest before finding a path. She looked into the trees, and he sensed more than saw her apprehension. "There are sometimes apparitions in here, but I'm going to keep pace with you."

She nodded, and was apparently reassured by his words because she didn't say anything. He started jogging at a slow pace, knowing her body had very low limits after forced disuse. She followed beside him, eyes focused on the path ahead. The fire demon allowed himself to watch her every so often from the corner of his eye. His eyes swept her form, taking in just how many scars she had. When he had found her, she had been wearing fewer clothes than this, but he had more important things to pay attention to at the time. Since then, she hadn't worn clothes that revealed much skin. But now, with the sunlight streaming through the treetops, he could see the shine of dozens of scars across her arms, legs, neck and chest. It sickened him to think of people doing this to another creature. Sure he had engaged in merciless killings, but he found it hard to stomach the thought of doing such things to a creature that had done you no wrong, and for as long as they hurt her. He then noticed something odd, but held back his question, not wanting to upset the ice maiden.

She didn't last especially long, but he hadn't expected her to. About twenty minutes into the run, she confessed that she had reached her limit and then some. She sank to the ground and leaned against a thick tree trunk, trying to catch her breath. Hiei handed her a bottle of water he had stashed in the large pockets of his pants, and sat across from her. She accepted the bottle and took several large swigs from it.

They sat without talking, the only sounds between them those of the forest and the young woman trying to get her breath back under control. After a long stretch, Asako said, "Just ask whatever is on your mind, Hiei."

"What?" he asked, taken aback.

"I can tell you're thinking something. Lay it on me."

Slightly perturbed by how well she seemed to understand him, he replied, "I just noticed something. The woman on the news… she had scars on her face. But that seems to be the only place you don't have any."

Asako hummed in confirmation. In her expressionless way, she said, "That sick fuck didn't want to harm my face because he thought I was attractive. Plus, for a time, his plan had changed and he intended to pimp me out. I wasn't giving him any tear stones, but he was confident my body would bring in top dollar. Of course, no guy is gonna pay to try and sleep with a woman who can literally freeze his dick off."

Hiei blinked at her.

"What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Anyways, so when he figured out that prostitution wasn't a viable avenue, why did he continue to ascertain that your face remained unharmed?"

"They hoped they could still do that by continually locking away my energy with those tags. But after I had accidently touched one early on in my captivity when their only objective was the tear stones, I knew what to look for. They tried tricking me into touching them, but that never worked. They also tried forcing them on me, but I would just cover my body in an ice barrier. So it never panned out for them." She shrugged and stood up. "Whatever, I'm glad for it, anyways. I'm ready to run back."

* * *

Half a week of civility might normally have been a sign that things were shaping up between two people, but for Hiei and Asako, all it meant was that they had plenty of built up energy to argue with.

"Are you even trying?"

"Somewhat."

"I'm not going to keep wasting my time on someone who's 'somewhat' committed," Hiei barked. "Shape up or ship out."

"I can't ship out without you," she reminded.

"Well, aren't I just lucky?" asked the fire demon. Asako merely shrugged. Eyebrow twitching, Hiei snapped, "I'm not sure I've met anyone more infuriating than you."

"I'd say you're pretty lucky then, if I'm the most objectionable person you've met. There are far worse."

Hiei rolled his eyes. "You're just proving my point."

"If you're going to have a lovers' spat, take it outside." The pair started, turning to see that Genkai had entered the room. "You're too loud."

Hiei scoffed. "This is no such thing."

"If you want to tell yourself that," Genkai quipped. "What're you arguing about now?"

"I'm not making much progress in our morning runs," Asako answered blankly.

Hiei grimaced. "At least try to seem like you care about your health. Until you put in the effort to recover, I can't go home."

"How encouraging," Genkai observed sarcastically.

"And you're one to talk," Hiei bit back.

"Every situation is unique," Genkai replied smoothly. She turned to the ice maiden. "Yukina probably needs help with an assignment for Koenma. She's in the storage room."

Asako nodded and exited the room. Hiei looked at the old woman sharply. "What assignment did Koenma give Yukina?"

"Just making up some herbal medicines for distribution amongst Rekai forces and your gang of misfits," Genkai answered. "Listen. I was rough on Yusuke, but he didn't come to me fresh out of three years of abuse. You don't need to coddle her, but you do need to be understanding."

"I can't understand a woman who has frozen all feeling, nor do I want to."

Genkai rolled her eyes. "You're all idiots."

* * *

Hiei scowled; following two ice maidens around a crowded market was not how he wanted to spend his afternoon. But Yukina had insisted that it would be good for Asako to venture outside of the temple's grounds. The two women were talking – about what, he didn't care to notice – while strolling by the wooden stands of produce, baked goods and other wares. The dark haired male wished more than ever that he had access to his energy and could watch them from a spot hidden away from the mob of humans.

Yukina laughed, and Asako merely walked on, irking him further. How could his sister not be bothered by her friend's complete apathy? Yukina was so warm hearted, kind and caring. Yet her best friend epitomized the worst of their people.

"Ladies!" a man at a jewelry stall called out to the women as they approached. "Can I interest you in any of our one-of-a-kind pieces?"

"No, thank you," Yukina replied sweetly.

"Ah, please just take a look! Hearing feedback from people helps us refine our craft and make products better suited for lovely women such as yourselves."

Hiei didn't know whether to roll his eyes at the lame farce or to be annoyed at the subtle flirtation with his twin. Yukina glanced at Asako before conceding and stepping up to the stall. Hiei sighed, though he knew his sister's kindness would never allow her to just brush the vendor off.

The man spoke to them for a few moments about how the jewelry was made and where the materials came from. Yukina nodded politely, while Asako merely looked on. The man gave a friendly smile and said, "Are you sure I can't show you two a few pieces?"

"Well, we really are just-" Yukina began, but was cut off by the vendor.

"This, for example would look lovely in your hair," the man said, reaching out toward Asako with a hair pin shaped like a dragonfly. Sapphire eyes locked on the silver pin and she flinched, slapping the vendors hand away. He let out a howl of pain, a bruise already forming where she had made contact.

Hiei's eyes went wide. Yukina was apologizing profusely to the man. Asako was frozen for a moment, then spun around and hurried from the spot.

"Yukina," Hiei said, and she followed his unspoken demand for her to follow him as he chased after his ward. He watched her silver head weave through the crowd. Yukina grabbed hold of the back of his cloak so they wouldn't be separated, and the two followed the fleeing ice maiden.

They found her about a half mile away from the market in a small park. Hiei vaguely noticed it was a park he had once frequented when the Reikai had him confined to the Ningenkai, but didn't linger on the thought. Yukina rushed forward, kneeling beside her friend. Hiei's brow twitched, noticing that Asako's eyes looked even more lifeless than usual.

"Are you okay, Asako?" the turquoise haired woman worried.

Not giving the ice apparition time to reply, Hiei snapped, "You can't do things like that. Do you know how much trouble you could be in if you harm a human?"

"My body just moved," Asako replied dully.

"Control yourself," he replied harshly.

"Okay."

Hiei could feel his anger mounting, but forced it down. Yukina didn't need to see her friend fighting with him. "We're going back to the temple."

Yukina nodded and the three began heading back. Yukina kept shooting worried glances toward her friend, and Hiei found his anger at the silver haired woman grow. When they finally got back to the temple, he said, "Yukina, could you go ahead? I need to speak with Asako."

She hesitated a moment, but nodded, disappearing inside. The fire apparition turned to the silver haired woman who was staring blankly off to the side. With a glare, he said, "You're making Yukina worry. She doesn't need to be fretting over you all the time. She came here to be happy."

"I don't mean to make her worry," Asako replied quietly.

"Then you need to start acting like it. You need to eat, and continue building your strength back up. And no more shit like you pulled in the market."

Asako finally met his gaze, and he thought he saw anger in her sapphire orbs. "I told you, my body just moved. A strange man was reaching out to touch me. Historically, that has ended only in pain."

Hiei looked away, taken aback. He hadn't thought about the possibility that she may have just been flashing back to her captivity. Lamely, he replied, "I see."

"I'm going to my room. I'll see you in the morning for a run."

He watched her walk away, feeling once again confused about the ice maiden.

* * *

Asako was true to her word and was waiting for him in the kitchen the next morning in a pair of shorts and a tanktop. He silver hair was pulled into a messy bun. His crimson eyes quickly traced her form, continually unable to ignore how very attractive she was. They wordlessly walked out toward the forest and began their run. He still had to slow down considerably for her, but she had made a bit of an improvement since their argument about the effort she was putting in.

He was slightly worried, though, considering she hadn't spoken a word to him. They ran for nearly an hour before the silver haired woman came to a stop. Hiei frowned; usually she told him when she was at her limit. He leaned against a tree and she sat on the ground, trying to control her breath. He reached into his cloak to pull out a water bottle, which she accepted wordlessly. She took a few sips and then leaned back against a tree as well.

Normally, silence was preferable for the fire apparition, but this one was rather uncomfortable. He wasn't sure why; if she was upset with him after the day before, he would understand, but he wouldn't care. She was just a mission, and one he didn't want to take in the first place. Still, he felt a bit badly about his anger towards her; it really wasn't her fault that she struck the human male that had invaded her space. He knew some of the things human men had done to her in captivity, and his knowledge probably only scratched the surface. It would be concerning if she wasn't mistrustful of the vendor's intentions.

"I've been thinking," Asako startled him, breaking the silence. "Do you want to learn some basic healing?"

"What?" he asked, taken aback.

"You've been incredibly inconvenienced by me. You may as well come out of this with something," she shrugged. "But all I really have to offer is that I can teach you some basic healing."

Hiei thought it over for a moment. Although he had never wanted the skill before, he had to admit that it would be helpful in battle. "Fine."

"Do you know anything about how healing works?"

"No."

"We'll start from the beginning, then."

* * *

Thank you for the support this story has already been receiving! I was gone for a while, and was a little apprehensive about getting back in the game, so I'm really grateful to hear positive feedback. Please let me know what you think of the story, my writing, the characters - anything at all. I reply to all reviews. As always, here is the requisite: I own nothing.

Jessica - Thank you again for your review! I think part of the reason I've always had a soft spot for Hiei and for writing him is that he is so intelligent, but lacks social/emotional intelligence. It's challenging and endearing for me, and for everyone he meets. I hope you continue to enjoy the story!


	4. Chapter 4

"Healing is basically just using your energy to will the body to repair itself at a rapid rate."

Crimson eyes narrowed and Hiei drawled, "Great, the perfect technique for someone whose energy is locked away."

Asako sighed, something Hiei had come to associate with her annoyance, and said, "You need to understand how it works first, before you even need your energy."

"Then explain."

"I'm certainly trying," she replied. "Before you can push your own energy into someone else's body, you need to understand how energy flows within the body. Your energy is everywhere, your blood, your nervous system…"

"Yes, when my comrades and I competed in the Dark Tournament, Kurama faced an opponent who sealed away his energy, but Kurama was still able to access it in his blood," Hiei nodded. "So I already understand that; what next?"

"You need to understand the flow and pathways of the energy completely or else you risk damaging the body rather than healing it."

Hiei lifted a brow. "Am I to memorize charts of the circulatory system?"

"No. You're to take off your shirt."

The fire demon turned a glare on his silver haired companion. "What are you playing at?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, blinking once in confusion. She then rolled her eyes. "Oh. What hubris, Hiei, assuming I just want to get you out of your clothes. I assure you, that's not the case."

Fighting the pink threatening to bloom on his cheeks, Hiei snapped, "You suck, you know that?"

"And you swallow."

His anger dissipated immediately, shocked by her comeback. The delivery was just as emotionless as ever, but swift. He couldn't help but chuckle. Amused now, he pulled his tank top off over his head and dropped it to the ground as he took a seat in front of the ice maiden. "Okay, so what was the point of taking my shirt off?"

"I can show you the flow of your energy," she answered. "If you'll allow me to touch you, that is."

"Fine," he shrugged, still in a good mood from her surprising quip.

Asako placed her palm on the center of Hiei's chest. She was silent for a moment. Hiei was just about to ask what she was doing when an intricate web of black energy began to shine beneath his skin. Crimson eyes widened, watching his energy flow throughout his body, via what he could only assume was his blood.

"Your energy, like you said, still exists and flows in your blood. It also…" she trailed off, concentrating for a moment. The black faded, reappearing moment later in another web entirely, with thin branches. "It also exists in your nerves. The reason you can't use your energy, though, is because the tags block the energy in your core, which is the primary source individuals use for manipulation. Some creatures possess a core in a different location, but most people's core is…"

Her hand slid down his chest to settle on his abdomen, about two inches above his navel. He had to suppress a shiver as her smooth skin glided over his. For the second time, he marveled at how someone could touch him as she could. Now, he also wondered how someone could touch him so little but still turn him on so much.

He quickly squashed the feeling, annoyed at his own base instincts and needs. With her hand positioned lower, he could now see a glowing sphere of his energy glowing at the base of his rib cage, centered above his diaphragm. It didn't have the same sort of easy movement and flow the rest of his energy had.

"It should move freely within your core, but the tags have undone that. Although, because there is some movement, I should think you're energy should be accessible sooner rather than later." Hiei marveled at seeing the hub of his energy for another moment before Asako removed her hand. She explained, "In order to use your own energy in someone else, you must be able to sense how and where there energy flows. That is what you must master before we go any further."

"But if my energy-"

"You don't need energy," Asako shook her head. I know you can sense energy; this just a more advance version of that. You must attune your senses even more, until you can see it like I just showed you. You are going to learn by trying to show me my energy."

Hiei nodded. His eyes then widened, seeing Asako reaching for the hem of her tank top. "What're you doing?"

"Can you see through clothes?" she asked evenly. "For most people, they can see the core first, because it is the area with the most energy."

She tugged the fabric off and dropped it on the ground beside his discarded shirt. His eyes couldn't help but fall on her newly revealed form. Her ribs were less prominent now than when he had first seen her in Minato's holding cell. Her skin was pale and smooth. She wore a simple black sports bra, which lent a view of only an inch of cleavage. The fire apparition found himself wondering what her breasts looked like in a less constraining garment.

Asako took Hiei's wrist and brought his hand to lie on her breastbone, explaining, "Physical contact helps. Now, just concentrate on sensing my energy, then channel that into finding the path the energy is traveling."

Concentrating was easier said than done with her warm skin beneath his hand. He could feel the soft rise and fall of her breaths. The bottom half of his palm rested on the slope of her breasts. Though not the first pair he had ever touched, it had been quite some time. Reminding himself he was stronger than his instincts, he ignored the arousal and her attractiveness and tried to get a feel for her energy.

* * *

"You're sure that's what you saw?"

"Yes, sir. I recognized her right away from the photo you showed me."

"Excellent, then we can begin sending more scouts to find her precise location."

"Indeed, she'll be back in your grasp in no time at all, sir. But I have more information to tell that will certainly please you even more."

"Spit it out then!"

"She was with another one."

"Another one? How do you know that?"

"When I worked for Tarukine, she was there."

"You don't say… Well, this is marvelous news, indeed. Expect a hefty bonus in your pay out."

"Why, thank you sir."

"Two… What good fortune I have."

* * *

"We're not running this morning."

"Oh."

Hiei couldn't help but think Asako's voice verged on disappointed. He explained, "We can this afternoon. This morning, I'm training."

"Training? Does that mean…?"

He grinned widely. "My energy has been unlocked."

"That's certainly good news."

He had a feeling that she was being earnest, but with her deadpan voice, he wasn't sure. Regardless, nothing could ruin the fire demon's day after he awoke to a loose, free feeling in his chest, which he now recognized as his core energy flowing and moving as it should.

"Genkai is in her game room Yukina is in town visiting Kuwabara," Asako said. "They shouldn't bother you."

He nodded and had turned to leave when he realized the true meaning of her words. Assuming he was correctly reading between the lines, the ice maiden didn't want to be alone. The dark haired male paused, looking over his shoulder. "You can come as long as you don't get in my way."

She nodded her agreement and followed him to the training room. It turned out that she was a helpful asset. With his energy back, he was especially eager to train his fire techniques. Genkai would surely not have been pleased is he had burnt all of her wooden training posts and dummies, so Asako conjured up ice blocks for him. When he tired of that, she began hurling them at him from all angles. His lithe body flew through the air cutting down the ice with his flames.

"I need a few minutes," Asako called after about an hour of forming and tossing ice blocks.

Hiei let himself fall back to the floor, slightly disappointed. He had fallen into a really good rhythm. Then again, he was somewhat amazed that she had lasted so long. Countless blocks of ice had fallen in his training, his demand high due to his speed. He swiped the back of his hand over the light sheen of sweat on his face, walking across the training room toward the ice maiden. She had sunk to the floor, leaning against the wall, and was breathing heavily. He wasn't sure when, but at some point she had shed her t-shirt and was now clad in only a pair of grey shorts and a navy sports bra. Sweat glistened on her skin, and he had to once again ignore the increasingly annoying pull of attraction.

He sat in front of her and asked, "You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered, her breath already much more even.

Hiei was thoughtful for a moment before asking, "How can you manipulate ice for so long, yet you could barely jog the first time we went for a run?"

"I still manipulated my energy when I was held captive. My physical strength suffered immensely because the only space I had for those years was the room you found me in. I haven't had to use so much at once in a very long time, so I am admittedly tired, but my energy manipulation tires me more slowly than physical activity does."

He hummed his understanding. She took a few sips from a bottle of water she had grabbed on their way to the training room, then offered him the bottle. Hiei accepted it, taking a few gulps as well. Setting the bottle back down, he asked, "Can we continue working on healing?"

She hesitated, confusing the fire apparition; it had been her idea to teach him in the first place. Asako replied, "I'm really pretty gross, right now. You don't want to touch me."

Hiei chuckled lightly and smirked. "Don't worry about it." When she still looked hesitant, he pulled off his shirt and offered it to her. "Dry off with this. I hardly broke a sweat, so it should do the job."

"But-"

"Stop. I don't care."

She looked at him for a moment, but then accepted the offered garment. Asako dabbed at her neck and shoulders, then patted the shirt across her chest. Crimson eyes followed the movement for a moment, before Hiei remembered that should probably avoid making the ice maiden think he was a pervert. Soon after, she dropped the shirt to the ground. "Ready."

The fire demon looked at her once more and placed his palm on her chest.

"Hone your focus as narrowly as you can," she reminded.

He hummed so she would know he heard her, but was already deep in concentration. Now that he had the opportunity and his energy was unlocked, he was determined to improve his energy sensing capabilities and learn some healing techniques.

* * *

"Report."

"The two are at the same location in the mountains, sir."

"Security?"

"One demon, one human."

"Identities of the guards?"

"Known. The demon is one of those that stormed your hideout. The human is a famous psychic."

"Hmm, so it is likely that the others who infiltrated my lair will come as backup… We will need a large group."

"How many, sir?"

"Fifty."

"I will make arrangements now."

"With haste."

* * *

"Hiei?"

"I felt really close to success earlier today. I want to try again. Are you busy?"

Asako shook her head in the negative and opened her bedroom door wider, allowing him entry. She moved inside and sat on her bed. Hiei followed suit. It had been a week since his powers had returned, and things were actually going pretty well for him. He had been able to train with Asako's help, she had continued teaching him the foundations of healing, Genkai hadn't bitched at him in a while because he hadn't been arguing with the ice maiden, and Yukina seemed to be happy, too.

"I'm surprised you didn't just wait until after training tomorrow," Asako said.

"I just have the feeling I'm really close." Hiei waited a moment, but the silver haired woman made no attempt to move. "Are you going to take your shirt off so we can get this going?"

Asako looked away, and if it weren't for the faint blush that bloomed on her cheeks, Hiei wouldn't have known her hesitation was from embarrassment.

"Suddenly shy?" he asked, irritated.

"Yes. I have a normal bra on under this; I wasn't expecting…"

"Then go change clothes," he said simply.

"Currently in the washing machine."

Hiei's brow twitched. "Well, screw it. I'm not here to grope you."

"I know that. It's just…" she hesitated, then sighed in defeat. "Fine."

Hiei groaned, "Don't make me feel guilty. We can wait until tomorrow."

"No. I trust you," she replied.

He was surprised at her admission, but was glad all the same. She unbuttoned her blouse and shrugged out of it. The fire demon's question of what she looked like in less constraining underwear was answered. Full breasts were cupped in a simple black bra. He appreciated the amount of cleavage that met his eyes. She wasn't huge – each probably a bit more than a handful – which was perfect, in his opinion.

Pretending everything was normal and platonic, Hiei reached out and laid his palm on her chest. Although his hand wasn't coming in contact with any new skin, his eyes enjoyed the new view for a moment before he focused his concentration.

* * *

"When will they be ready?"

"Three days. We attack in four."

"Splendid."

* * *

"There!" Hiei looked in a mixture of awe and satisfaction at the swirling silver orb he could see glowing below Asako's ribcage. It glowed and danced beneath her skin and seemed to swirl rapidly. "Yours moves differently than mine. Does that mean there's still some sort of effect from the tags?"

Asako shook her head. She reached out a hand and tugged his shirt up. With her other hand, she laid it on his abdomen and a moment later his own core came into view. "Although you are half ice apparition, your fire apparition genes are dominant. So your energy is like fire."

Crimson eyes watched his own black energy move; it was like licking flames which grow and ebb. His eyes moved back to her core. She explained, "I'm a full-blooded ice apparition. I've always seen my energy as a blizzard."

He could see it now, the energy swirling like snow. "So is this what Yukina's energy would look like, too?"

"No, everyone's is a little different, even if they're of the same breed. Her energy is light blue. And the amount of energy a person has affects the size of their core. Just look at ours." Asako paused, allowing him a moment to compare his larger orb of energy to hers. "I have more energy than Yukina, so mine is larger. Also, if I recall, her energy doesn't move like a blizzard so much as a squall."

"That fits her, somehow."

Asako removed her hands, and the glow of his energy was no longer visible. "Yukina is my best friend."

"I know," he replied, wondering where she was going.

"I feel… as her friend it is my duty to mention that she desperately wants to know her brother."

Hiei glared and immediately pulled his hand back. "And you said yourself you think she knows it's me."

"I think so, yes," the silver haired woman nodded. "But I think it would make her a great deal happier if she heard it from you, rather than her assumption based on putting the pieces together herself."

"And I think you should stop talking. You know nothing."

"I know that we both want her to be happy," Asako replied dully.

His temper flaring, he barked, "Do we? It's hard to tell with you."

"Of course I do."

"I'm so sick of you and your apathy. You're like the rest of those wretched women."

"Please don't lump me in with them," she requested quietly.

Ignoring her, he allowed his anger to press him on, "I'm not surprised those criminals couldn't make you cry; you're a true ice maiden like the rest, with your frozen heart. You women are the coldest of creatures."

He stood and made to flit from the room, but stopped when she spoke up, her voice dangerous, "Do not _ever_ say that about me again."

* * *

Thank you again for the support on this story! I liked writing this chapter, because I always envisioned Hiei as being someone who was pretty sexually aware, but totally lacking in emotional competency. Anyways, as always, I appreciate the support, follows, favorites, and reviews. Please let me know what you're thinking about the writing, the characters, whatever! Also, I own nothing.

Jessica- It's interesting not knowing his exact age, but at least we know he's younger than 100, since Yukina hasn't had her Ice Maiden baby thing kick in yet. Anyway, thank you for your continued support! I hope to continue updating every few days.


	5. Chapter 5

"I say it as I see it," Hiei sneered.

In a more even tone, Asako replied, "I know what the elders did to you, Hiei, and I resent that you think I'm like them. You say I'm cold and apathetic… well I say you're angry and have deep-seated feelings of betrayal and abandonment. Just as they made you what you are, so too did they make me."

She stood and crossed the room, standing almost chest to chest with him. Her sapphire eyes were filled with rage. "If you ever, _ever_ tell me I have a frozen heart again, I-"

"Will once again prove to me that you are capable of showing some emotion?" Hiei supplied, raising a brow at her.

Her expression turned to one of surprise and she seemed to realize what she was doing. She made to back away, struggling to arrange her expression into a more neutral one. Hiei caught her by the shoulders.

"You said you trusted me; why put on your cold mask?"

"For the same reason you put up your wall of anger," she muttered. "You don't have to confront more difficult emotions if you have anger to protect yourself. If I feel nothing…"

"Nobody can feel nothing."

"I've gotten good at it."

Hiei held his breath for a moment, willing back his irritation. Releasing his breath as a sigh, he then asked, "Why was this what finally made you angry?"

"You said my heart was frozen."

"And? I have said plenty of things to you before."

She wouldn't meet his gaze any longer.

* * *

Things with Asako were back to being tense the next day and the day after. Hiei could tell that he had actually hurt her in their most recent argument. He was torn between feeling guilty and convincing himself he shouldn't care. Guilt was winning out, though, and it didn't help that she was back to largely not speaking to him. She didn't ignore him, really. They still ran in the morning, she still helped him train and she spoke to him when necessary, but that was all. He hadn't pressed her to continue healing lessons, and she had not indicated she was still willing to teach him.

The third day after their fight found the pair in Genkai's training room, Asako hurling blocks of ice at him with much greater force than she when they first started training together. Hiei dodged and sliced them down with his sword, but there were some he narrowly avoided. When a block nearly slammed into his face, he decided he could ignore the problem between them no longer.

Using his speed, he caught the ice maiden off guard, charging her. She instinctively shot a blast of arctic air at him. If it had been anyone else, her power would have frozen them in their tracks. Luckily, he was resistant. He tackled her to the floor, where they tousled for a few moments before her overpowered her and pinned her beneath him. He sat on her hips and pinned her arms to the ground, before saying, "Let's say what we need to say to get past this."

She didn't need him to elaborate. After she had nodded, he released his hold on her arms. With a sigh, the fire apparition said, "I didn't mean to upset you."

It was as close to an apology as he could manage. Asako avoided eye contact and said, "Please don't say that to me again."

"Agreed."

She seemed to sense his unspoken questions because she explained, "When I was being tortured by Minato's men… that's something they used to say because I wouldn't cry."

Asako wriggled beneath him, pulling off her t-shirt. He looked at her with a raised brow, unsure about what she was doing. Her fingers curled around his wrist and she brought his hand to her left breast. He let her flatten his palm against her skin.

"They carved out a heart in my skin so that I'd have one that wasn't iced over," she said, just above a whisper.

The fire apparition could feel the thick, raised scar against his palm, but he also felt the warmth of her heart beneath her skin. He moved his hand, crimson eyes taking in the jagged outline of a heart. He traced it with his index finger, noticing from the rough, uneven texture that the scar tissue itself had likely been cut into many times. Laying his palm over it again, he met her gaze. She was looking at him, waiting for a reaction.

"Yours is warm," he said. "Guess I was wrong. You won't hear me repeat the same mistake."

She covered his hand with her own and muttered, "Thanks, Hiei."

"Wow, Hiei, I didn't think you were interested in women," came a drawling voice from the doorway.

The pair started, looking up to see Yusuke. The brown eyed boy snickered at Hiei's fierce glare. Asako hastened to pull her shirt back on. Vaguely, it pleased Hiei that she was so comfortable with him but not the others. But he could dwell on that later. He barked, "Get your mind out of the gutter, detective."

"What am I supposed to think when I see you straddling a shirtless lady?" Yusuke teased.

Hiei rolled his eyes. "She was shirtless because we were training with my mortal flame and this room isn't exactly air conditioned. I tackled her and we were working on what to do when the enemy brings you to the ground."

"I see," Yusuke grinned, and Hiei could tell he didn't believe him.

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"We're all here. Kuwabara brought Yukina back from her visit, and Kurama and I came too because with two of us already here, it seemed a good time to convene and have a meeting with pacifier breath."

"About?" Hiei asked. Yusuke glanced over Hiei's shoulder at the ice maiden. The fire demon nodded. "When?"

"In two days."

"Fine." He turned to Asako. "Did you want to continue training?"

She looked at him, her expression unreadable. "No, I'm about spent."

He frowned, knowing it was a lie. She'd used much more energy in other training sessions and then still worked with him on healing. Deciding not to press her after the personal moment she had just shared with him, he simply nodded. "Hit the shower, then."

* * *

"Yusuke told me an interesting story last night."

"If you came here to bother me, you can leave, fox."

Kurama chuckled and sat beside Hiei on the top step of the porch. Hiei had come outside to enjoy the fresh air and to keep an eye on the ice maidens who were tending to Genkai's garden. He had the feeling Asako was going along with it for Yukina's sake, which he appreciated because his sister seemed happy to spend the time with her friend. Kuwabara and Yusuke were also out in the garden tilling earth.

"Still, I was surprised to hear about what he saw in the training room," Kurama said lightly.

Hiei turned to look at his friend. "What do you want me to tell you, Kurama? Nothing was going on."

"Did you want there to be?"

"Not in that moment, no."

"But in some moments you do?"

Hiei let out a low growl of annoyance. "Don't sit there and pretend you've never seen a woman you'd like to lie with."

"I'm not. I'm just wondering if that's all you want."

"Of course it is," Hiei snapped back immediately. "And even then, I have no real need for her. Unless she makes the offer, I will complete this mission and move on."

He could tell by the look in Kurama's eyes that his friend didn't believe him. But that was his problem, Hiei decided, turning back to look out toward the forest.

"If you're not going to pursue her, be careful how you act, Hiei," Kurama warned.

"What're you talking about?"

"It's clear that you two have grown close despite all of your arguing and your insistence that you have no feelings for her. She is still in a vulnerable state. Don't make her trust you and then abandon her."

"She knows that I'm just doing my job." Even though he said it with conviction, Hiei suddenly wondered if there wasn't some truth to the fox demon's words. They had grown close; he wouldn't allow many people to train with him, teach him, or touch him in any capacity. And they had held a number of personal conversations.

"Hiei!" Asako's voice immediately grabbed his attention. "Can you-?"

"Yes," he called back, realizing only a moment later what she was asking about. With his much improved senses, he could feel a mass of demonic energy that was being suppressed quickly closing in. He tore the bandana from his forehead, allowing the Jagan eye to open. Everyone's attention was on him now, tension and confusion thick in the air. "Enemies are closing in. There are at least fifty."

"How close?" Kurama asked.

"They'll be here any moment."

Kuwabara stood by Yukina, ready to protect her. "Any idea who they are?"

"No," Hiei replied. Then he called sharply, "Asako!" She turned to look at him, waiting for his order. "Take Yukina and-!"

"Too late," Kurama muttered.

Just then, the group of enemies crested the hill, charging toward them at full speed. There would be no time to get the ice apparitions back inside before the battle had reached them. Hiei cursed and summoned the mortal flame to his fists. Yusuke ran forward, firing off his shotgun into the first wave of attackers. Kurama charged in behind him, rose whip slashing through the bodies. Hiei flitted forward to Kuwabara and the ice maidens. "Against my better judgement, I am leaving them for you to guard, you oaf." He turned his eyes to Asako. "Freeze a few for me, would you?"

The silver haired woman nodded. Hiei returned the gesture, gave Yukina a small but reassuring smile, then flitted forward, his flaming fists flying.

* * *

The fight dragged on for longer than any of them wanted it to. But it was fifty on five and the attacking demons weren't low level pawns. Their numbers were dwindling, but they had saved their strongest for last. Hiei dodged another blow and delivered a vicious uppercut. He took a moment to glance around the battlefield. Yusuke was engaged with the demon that seemed to be their leader. Kurama was fighting two other demons, and Kuwabara was between Yukina and another demon. He was surprised to see that Asako was also still engaged in battle; he would have thought she would be depleted by that point. But she still stood, shooting jets of freezing air and shards of ice at the demon she was battling.

They continued fighting and the enemy's numbers had finally dropped to six. It was then Hiei sensed another wave of ten approaching. Above the din of the fight, he warned, "Incoming!"

The fighters were soon overwhelmed again, and they were rapidly growing fatigued. Hiei pushed his body to keep moving, knowing they were in the home stretch. He cut through another demon with his sword, dispatching him quickly. He took another moment to look around, and what he saw had his eyes widening. Kuwabara was fighting three demons at once and a fourth was closing in on Yukina.

Hiei pushed himself forward, every fiber of his being screaming to get to his sister. He was tackled to the ground, a knee digging into his back and a hand forcing his face into the ground. The fire apparition threw the demon off of him just in time to see the one of the demons get passed Kuwabara and lunge for Yukina. Crimson eyes widened in shock as a flash of silver pushed Yukina out of the way. Blood splattered, and then the attacker was frozen in place. A block of ice hurtled at his frozen body, shattering him instantly. Hiei ran to his sister, seeing she had been knocked out. Kuwabara had finished with the apparitions he was fighting and knelt down beside the unconscious ice maiden.

"Get her away from here," Hiei ordered.

The orange haired fighter nodded, picked up Yukina, and ran off. Yusuke cut off the two demons that made to pursue Kuwabara, giving Hiei a moment to check on Asako. She had her hand pressed to a deep gash in her side, but it was doing little to stem the blood flow. A scarlet stain was rapidly spreading across her shirt and blood was already dripping down her leg.

"Hiei, can you use the mortal flame?"

"What?"

"Use it to stop the bleeding."

He was even more shocked. "Are you asking me to cauterize your wound?"

"Yes."

"No. It will increase your risk of infection."

"That doesn't matter. I can heal it properly afterwards and prevent infection, but for now I heal too slowly. I will be a liability out here and you guys will be vastly outnumbered."

Hiei couldn't deny the points she made. Still, he felt uncomfortable complying with her request. She looked at something over her shoulder and waved her arm, freezing another demon in his tracks. Hiei turned and saw that the demon had been trying to attack him from behind. He brought the blade of his sword down, the ice crashing to the ground in pieces.

He turned back to Asako. She removed her hand from her side and showed him her palm which was covered in blood. She implored, "Without Yukina here, I'm not even sure I could heal myself enough and fast enough before blood loss becomes too severe to function. Hiei, it's the only option."

The dark haired male hesitated for only a moment longer before nodding. He conjured the flame in his right hand and offered her his left. She laced their fingers together and he could feel her shaking. Feeling slightly nauseous, he quickly pressed his flaming hand to the wound. She didn't make a noise, and in fact remained completely blank-faced, but her hand tightened on his. He held the flame to her side until he was sure the wound had stopped bleeding, and then quickly pulled away. Asako took in a gulp of air, having apparently been holding her breath. Her grip on his hand loosened and she slowly pulled away. Sapphire eyes raked the battle and she said, "Eight more. Let's go."

* * *

"Is that finally the end?" Yusuke asked.

"I believe so. My friend here is the lone survivor," Kurama said, gesturing at the demon caught in one of his plants. "I will be returning to the Reikai with him for questioning."

"Send word of your findings as soon as you can," Hiei requested.

Kurama nodded. He took out his compact communicator and hit the button to request a portal. One popped up almost immediately and the fox demon walked through, his plant following behind. Hiei turned to look at Asako who lay on her back on the ground. Her hand glowed silver and she had it hovering over her wounded side. The fire demon walked over to her and sank to his knees. He inspected the injury, finding a large open gash about six inches in length. It and the skin around it were clearly badly burned.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm just tired."

"You fought much longer than I expected," he said, realizing too late that it was a rather backhanded compliment.

"I had no choice," she responded blankly. "Thanks for helping with this injury."

Hiei was going to reply, but was cut off by Yusuke. "Asako, that was crazy bad ass having Hiei use the mortal flame on you like that! You were seriously impressive out there!"

"Thank you, Yusuke," the ice maiden replied.

Hiei found himself annoyed by the spirit detective's easy way of speaking to her.

"Let's get you inside so you can focus on healing and then rest up, okay?" the brown eyes male asked gently. Asako nodded and he picked her up carefully. Hiei watched as the pair disappeared into the temple, confused when his chest tightened.

* * *

Thank you for your continued interest and support of this story. If you have the time, please consider writing a review. I do try to get back to all of them, either by PM or at the end of the following chapter. I'm grateful for any and all feedback.

Jessica- Very true; this was definitely a team fight! I hope you enjoyed this most recent chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

Hiei couldn't sleep, despite how exhausted his body was after the surprise attack earlier in the day. His mind was racing. Who were those demons? Why did they attack? Could they expect more attacks in the future? He also found himself wondering if Asako was alright; she had healed herself enough so that the injury wasn't life threatening before she passed out and she hadn't woken since. And why had he felt so strangely seeing Yusuke interact with her?

He heard a soft moan of pain from across the hall. Hiei frowned, listening closer. Nobody else seemed to have heard, so he decided to get up and see if the silver haired ice apparition was alright. He hesitated a moment outside her door, then cautiously opened it enough to peek in. She was curled up in a ball on her bed, clutching her side. Her sapphire blue eyes roamed up, hearing him enter and close the door behind him. The fire demon approached her, slowly kneeling beside her bed.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

She nodded. "Sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't." Crimson eyes traced her face, not finding any indication of pain anymore. He knew that meant nothing, though. His eyes travelled lower, seeing she had removed her torn shirt. The wound was still visible beneath her hand, though it didn't look too serious anymore. Rather, the probable cause of her pain was the angry red burn surrounding the injury. He looked away, guiltily continuing his inspection. She still wore her blood-stained shorts.

"Let me help you out of these," he muttered, his hand tugging at the bottom hem of the shorts.

Asako nodded once, lifting her hips off the mattress and tugging her shorts down with her free hand. Hiei pulled at the fabric as well and simple black panties followed by pale, bruised thighs were revealed. She tried to pull her knees up so she could reach to continue pulling the fabric down her legs, but stopped suddenly. Hiei noted that she had paled a bit, and assumed that the movement had been painful. He pulled the article of clothing down the rest of the way and dropped them to the floor.

"Is there anything I can do for the pain?" The ice maiden shook her head in the negative. Hiei frowned, feeling obnoxiously useless. He contented himself with pulling her comforter over her, careful not to jostle her too much. He added, "If you need anything, just say my name. I'll hear you."

Asako gave him another nod, her eyes falling closed. She was clearly still exhausted and probably hadn't recovered much of her energy. If she had, the fire demon was sure she would have been continuing to heal and alleviate some of her pain. He wished that he had progressed enough in his own healing lessons to be of some help to her. Regretfully, he ran his fingers through her hair, pushing it back from her face, before heading back to his bedroom.

* * *

"Did they get the bastard to talk?"

All eyes were on Kurama who had just returned from the Reikai. The fox demon nodded. "They were members of Minato's gang. It appears someone saw Asako and Yukina together in town and Minato sent men to capture them both."

"Two ice maidens are more lucrative than one…" Yusuke scowled.

"That's sick," Kuwabara added.

"I'm sorry, Yukina." Asako's quiet apology caught everyone's attention. "If it wasn't for me, nobody would have known there was another ice maiden away from the Ice Domain."

"Don't apologize, Asako," Yukina said with a frown. "Nobody knew this is what would happen. And I'm glad we were able to meet again and that you're away from that awful place."

"Yeah, you don't have nothing to be sorry about, Asako," Kuwabara reassured.

She looked at them blankly and said nothing. Hiei finally spoke up, asking, "So what happens next?"

"Koenma wants Yusuke and I to go out and find Minato. We must find out who else knows their whereabouts and nip any future attacks in the bud. We leave in a few hours," Kurama answered.

"And the oaf and I?" Hiei asked, his irritation at not being allowed to help find the human scumbag leaking into his voice.

"Stay here and guard them. Kuwabara's main priority is Yukina, and Hiei's is Asako until we can sort this out."

The silver haired woman stood suddenly from her seat at the coffee table. Without a word, she disappeared from the room. Hiei focused on her energy, noting that she had retreated to her bedroom.

"I hope she's alright," Yukina worried.

"She's probably still tired from the fight yesterday," Kuwabara reassured. "Speaking of, did anyone know she could fight like that?"

Yusuke, Kurama and Yukina all shook their heads in the negative. Kurama looked at the fire demon and asked, "Did you, Hiei?"

"Yeah, you spend the most time with her," Yusuke added.

Hiei begrudgingly shook his head. "No."

Kuwabara hummed thoughtfully and said, "I was surprised she could take the pain of the mortal flame like that, too."

"What?" Yukina asked.

"Oh right, you don't know," the orange haired male replied. "Well, when she pushed you out of the way of the demon that tried to attack you, she took quite a hit. Then Hiei used the mortal flame to help stop the bleeding. Cottonized the wound or something."

"Cauterized," Hiei corrected with a snap.

"Oh, poor Asako!" Yukina gasped. "Was she okay? Cauterizing wounds makes them more susceptible to infection, and-!"

"She knew and asked me to do it anyway," explained Hiei. "She was able to heal the worst of it before she passed out yesterday."

"Still, it was a pleasant surprise what she was able to do in battle. Without her, we may not have fared nearly as well," Kurama pointed out.

The others nodded their agreement.

* * *

Hiei lay awake in bed once more. Asako hadn't come down from her room all day. The others were convinced she was tired and sleeping off the weariness of the fight, but he didn't believe that. Making up his mind, he made the short trip across the hall to her room. Slipping inside, he was momentarily panicked to see she wasn't there. He then noticed that her window was open. The fire demon stuck his head out, peering around. Catching a whiff of her scent on the wind, he pulled himself out of the window and up onto the roof. The silver haired woman lay on the roof, staring blankly up at the moon.

She didn't make any indication that she saw him, but he knew she was aware of his arrival. He slowly lowered himself to lie beside her. They laid in silence for a long time before Hiei spoke up, "Thank you for saving Yukina."

"How could I not? She was always my only friend."

"Either way, thank you."

Silence filled the space between them again. There was a tension between them that usually only followed an argument. Hiei wasn't sure what had caused it this time, though. Glancing at her, he asked, "Why did you disappear earlier?"

"What does it matter?" she sighed.

"It matters," he answered simply. "Disappointed that you're stuck with me still?"

"It's temporary."

Hiei turned his head fully to look at her, trying to figure out what she meant. He wasn't sure, so he contented himself with gazing at her face. The moon was reflected in her sapphire doe eyes and shone on her silver hair.

"I made a mistake," she muttered.

"What're you talking about?"

She turned to look at him as well. "I let myself get comfortable."

The fire apparition kept his eyes locked on hers, searching the blue depths. "Here?"

She ignored his question and instead asked one of her own. "How much did Koenma tell you guys about who I am?"

"Just that you're an ice maiden."

"I'm a descendent of the line of Ice Domain elders. In fact, I'm next in line to be head councilwoman," Asako confessed, much to Hiei's surprise. "The head of the council now is quite old; I will ascend to lead within the next decade. Because of my lineage, I didn't fit in with the other girls my age. They only saw me as their future leader, never as a friend. Well, except for Yukina."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Because of my lineage, I have a bigger target on my back. Any ice maiden is valuable for her tears, but an ice maiden set to lead the Domain… From a young age, I was put through more training than the other girls. I wasn't just the best at torture resistance – I had to be, and they made sure I was."

Hiei recalled something she had said to him before. "So that's what you meant. They made you what you are."

Asako nodded. "Pain has been the one constant in my life. I've shut down. I know that I'm more of a shell than a person. But if I let myself feel… will I be able to handle it all?"

The fire apparition frowned. He had let his annoyance with her stoicism blind him. Nobody was naturally able to withstand years of abuse. It was so obvious now that she had to have been groomed for it. His own life was hard, but he was free to do as he pleased. He may have been rejected by the women of the Ice Domain, but she had been hurt by them for years until she was their perfect, emotionless future leader.

"I left the Domain because Yukina told me about you," the silver haired woman continued.

"Me?" he asked, surprised.

Asako nodded. "About her brother who was rejected, thrown off the Domain for being a male. When they were training me, they always said it was so that I was equipped to help our people. But you're of our blood and they rejected you for something that wasn't your fault. What's the point of what they put me through if we don't truly look out for our people? And was isolation worth casting out our own if they threatened our strict, separate way of life? I asked the head councilwoman about all of this, thinking she would impart some knowledge on me that would help me become a great leader. I was so sure she'd explain it to me and it would all make sense. But she didn't and instead I was punished for my treasonous thoughts. I couldn't shake my questions and so I left. That's when Minato's gang found me."

Hiei was silent for a moment, taking it all in. "So… my story…"

Asako nodded, understanding his unarticulated question. "It changed my life's course entirely."

He was surprised and at loss for words. She continued, "I had a lot of time to sort things out during my captivity. But I'm not ready to go back yet. So I've made a mistake. Yes, by letting myself get comfortable here, but also by letting myself get comfortable with you. It's been you from the beginning, Hiei, and once your mission is over, that's it. I didn't realize how comfortable I'd gotten until earlier when Kurama said that you were assigned to guard me until things were sorted out. There's an end date to this."

She turned to look back up at the moon. Hiei waited, but she seemed to have said what she wanted to say. He asked, "So what are you going to do next?"

"I don't know," she answered with a sigh. "I was captured right after I left, but from what Yukina has told me after her most recent visit back to the Domain, nobody knows that I left of my own will. They all assume my absence is entirely explained by my capture, which means that I'm still next in line to lead. But I just… I can't go back yet."

They returned to silence for a stretch, each lost in their own thoughts. Hiei was surprised that what happened to him had affected her so much. He felt guilty for never having patience with her, never being able to see past her apathy to the clearly hurt person she was. And he also realized that he had grown comfortable, too. He wasn't sure when it had happened, but his lying next to her on the temple roof in the middle of the night was a damn good testament of that. He had long since accepted that he was attracted to her, but comfortable was something that had happened without him noticing. Was he ready to give up the routine he had established with her? Was he ready to go back to being alone?

"When this is over, you could come with me."

She looked at him, doe eyes wide. "What?"

"You can come back to the Makai with me. I'll be working for Mukuro, but you can accompany me. You aren't just a mission anymore, so it would be okay. There's just one condition."

"What is it?"

"Try to be yourself more often instead of the insufferable person those women molded you into."

He watched as the corners of her mouth twitched and then turned up, gracing him with the first real smile he had ever seen on her lips.

"Deal."

* * *

Thank you for your continued interest in this story. I'd love to heard any feedback you may have, if you have the time. It's always appreciated! This chapter is shorter than most others, but I felt this was a good place to stop and wrap up the introductory phase of the story. We have some new details about Asako and a new journey to embark on, beginning in the next chapter. I will still endeavor to post three times per week.

Jessica - I hope this chapter defines Hiei's feelings a bit better! I felt like it would be too soon for him to start catching romantic feelings at this point, but would definitely aware of falling out of hate, haha :) Thanks again for your continued support of this story!


	7. Chapter 7

"Now that you can see how my energy flows through my body, you can start learning how to push your energy into my system."

Hiei and Asako sat in the center of Genkai's training room, shirts discarded as usual. It had been a week since the attack. Kurama and Yusuke had been hunting down Minato, but had yet to pinpoint his location. Meanwhile, Yukina and the oaf were spending a sickening amount of time together, largely because Kuwabara had attached himself to her like an ugly orange leech under the premise of being her bodyguard. Luckily, training with Asako was a good distraction.

He had made a lot of progress in the short span of time and could now track her energy flow through her blood and her nervous system. His progress could be entirely attributed to his increased motivation. HIei hated how helpless he felt when she was wounded in battle to save his sister. His only option to save her life had been to horribly burn her. And though she had lived, she couldn't heal the burns in time to prevent more pain and further scarring. Her body was riddled with scars, and he hated that one would be from him. So his determination to learn to heal had grown.

"Obviously, you can already channel your energy into your hand with ease. Can you transfer it into objects?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"So it's the same thing, just instead of an object which can take any amount of energy or inconsistent flow, the body can't."

"Do you mean that I could hurt you?" he asked.

The silver haired woman nodded. "If you push too much energy in or do it too quickly, yes."

"You're still recovering from-"

"Hiei, I can take it if it happens," she cut him off. "And in the very unlikely event I can't, I'll tell you. Just don't force too much energy and keep your pace moderate and even. You will be able to see your energy flowing within me, and the visual should help."

He nodded, then asked, "Do I keep contact, or…?"

"For now. It's easier if you're touching me, so once you master this, the final step is to do the entire process without contact."

"Okay, should I start?"

"One more thing. You can't heal a nonexistent wound," she replied. "We'll start easy with something close to your point of contact."

Before he could stop her, Asako conjured a shard of ice in her hand and dragged it over her left shoulder, opening the skin there. Blood flowed from the wound slowly, and Hiei's eyes widened. He shouldn't have been surprised that she could inflict pain on herself so easily, but he still didn't like further injuries befalling her.

Tentatively, he began willing his energy to transfer to her body through the hand on her chest. He watched a slow trickle of black begin to mix in with her silver. He decided to add a bit more, and his hand began to glow in the way he recognized from watching Yukina or Asako heal in the past. Perhaps it was his natural impatience or the smell of her blood, but he willed the energy to move more quickly toward her wounded shoulder.

"Don't rush it," she said sharply. "Even, moderate pace. You don't want to hurt the person you're healing."

He frowned, realizing he must have caused her pain. Keeping the pace more controlled, he watched his energy follow her blood to the wound.

"Good. Now with that energy, will the skin to repair itself."

"What?"

"When you summon your mortal flame, you collect your energy and will it to change its form. Same thing goes here, just working outside of your own body."

Hiei's brow furrowed in concentration. It took longer than he would have like, especially considering the fact that she was bleeding, but slowly the skin began to mend itself. The process was slow, but when the wound was finally healed, the fire demon grinned. There wouldn't be a scar from this particular injury.

"Good," Asako nodded. "Next time, we'll try a wound farther from your point of contact so you can work on keeping an even pace over a longer period of time."

"Why doesn't it take you or Yukina that long to heal someone?"

"Because we don't have to touch the person we're healing. The contact makes the transfer of energy more intense because it is so localized. When you heal without touching the person, your energy enters them from everywhere. This also makes it faster because you can get to the afflicted area almost immediately, rather than waiting for the body to take your energy there."

He nodded, then noted the blood staining a rivulet down her arm. Wadding up his shirt, he dabbed at her skin. She sighed and said, "If you keep that up, you won't have any shirts left."

"Don't worry about it," he shrugged it off. Satisfied, he dropped the shirt back to the floor.

"What're you doing to Asako, shorty?!"

Hiei turned to glare at Kuwabara. "Nothing."

"It's not proper for a guy to-"

Eyebrow twitching at where the oaf was clearly going with his comment, Hiei snapped, "She is teaching me how to heal, and nothing more. If you had walked in on something of a sexual nature, you would have paid dearly for interrupting me. Now, did you want something, or do you simply enjoy pissing me off?"

"I came to tell you that Koenma is going to call in an hour to update us on Urameshi and Kurama's progress. Geez," Kuwabara replied. He gave Hiei an annoyed look then left the room.

Hiei turned back to Asako and was silently disappointed to see that her shirt was back on. He was also surprised at the light flush on her face. Lifting a brow in curiosity, he asked, "Are you shy around the oaf?"

"Around any of them," she confirmed.

"Why?" he asked.

"I'm not really comfortable in this too thin, scarred body."

Hiei frowned. "But what's the difference between them and me?"

"I told you I'm comfortable with you," she blinked in confusion. "I know you much better than any of them."

"Yes, but when we started this training, we certainly weren't on good terms. You couldn't have been comfortable with me then."

"Oh," she nodded her understanding. She hummed thoughtfully for a second before saying, "Well, I wasn't comfortable, but I felt like I owed you something for all the trouble I was. You didn't exactly keep it a secret that you disliked me and wanted nothing to do with being here, and it was my fault. Healing is all I had to offer, and I just had to accept what that meant."

Crimson eyes traced her face for a moment before he muttered, "You never owed me anything. I didn't give you a chance."

"Either way," Asako shrugged. "It doesn't change things. I like Kurama and Yusuke and Kuwabara just fine, but it's not the same as with you."

Hiei couldn't hold back a satisfied smirk. "You don't think you'll grow to feel the same about the oaf with him hanging around all the time?"

Asako's lips twitched up and she hastily raised the back of her hand to her lips. She cleared her throat and was about to answer, when Hiei realized, "Were you about to laugh?"

The ice maiden flushed lightly, and that was all the answer he needed. With a wide, mischievous grin, he said, "I'm glad that the implication that you could hold the oaf and I in the same regard is laughable."

"Well, come on, Hiei," she said with a small smile. "He's undeniably nice but… he's an idiot."

Hiei chuckled and nodded his agreement. "And if it was Yusuke around here constantly?"

She shrugged, "He's nice but immature."

"Kurama then?" Hiei asked, frowning at the thought. "What if he was your guard?"

Asako was thoughtfully quiet for a moment. "Kurama feels safe, but not comfortable."

"What's the difference?"

"I know he's strong and protective and excels at his job. I'd be physically safe with him, surely, and he's so kind that I know there would be emotional safety. But he doesn't seem like the type that pushes people. You pushed me and I ended up allowing myself to be more than a shell of an apparition. I'm comfortable with you, meaning I feel like I can be me. Make sense?" she asked.

Slowly, he nodded. He knew what she meant because he felt much the same. With his friends, his sister, and now with the ice maiden sitting before him, he had transitioned from the angry person he once was to someone who was comfortable enough to let down his guard and be himself. He realized he may be the only person she felt that way with; even with Yukina she seemed to have a hard time talking as freely as she did with him. A strange mixture of sadness and satisfaction tightened in his chest. He wished she felt safer and more able to be herself, but he was glad that of anyone, it was him who she had begun opening up to.

With a smirk, he asked, "So it'll just be me seeing your collection of grey, black and blue undergarments?"

"Are you making fun of my lack of color variation, Mr. I-Only-Wear-Black-White-And-Sometimes-Blue?"

"Maybe a little," he shrugged.

"Well, yes, you're the only one," she confirmed, frowning.

He thought he'd managed to get her in a better mood with his teasing, but evidently he hadn't. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad or anything."

"You didn't," she replied honestly. "This all just makes me wish I wasn't so fucked up."

The fire demon didn't know how to respond. Cautiously, he replied, "Not many people could come out of what you went through as well as you have. Plenty of people wouldn't have made it out at all. But here you are, a functional apparition, reconnecting with an old friend, meeting new people, teaching me how to heal. You're strength is evident, Asako."

Her sapphire eyes fell to the floor. "That may be true, but the only reason I came out of it so well is-"

"Don't think about it that way," Hiei cut her off. "The women of the Ice Domain made you what you are, and that's how you made it to this point. You survived. And that's what matters. Now, moving forward, you can learn to be you instead of who you've had to be. Trust me."

"Personal experience?" she guessed.

Hiei nodded. "I'll tell you about it sometime. But for now, I think it's about time to speak with Koenma."

"Lucky you."

"Tell me about it."

* * *

"So, Hiei, you sure nothin' was going on with you and Asako earlier?" Kuwabara pressed.

The fire demon rolled his eyes. "Positive. She is teaching me to heal and that is all."

"You probably wouldn't even tell me if there was somethin' happening," the orange haired fighter pouted. "Anyway, it's crazy how thin she still is."

"She had a hard time regaining an appetite," he replied shortly.

Kuwabara nodded. "Has that gotten better?"

"From what I can tell. She has gained some weight, it's just slow progress. Probably in part because I've had her running and training with me to regain her physical strength."

"That's good. Has she talked to you at all about what kinds of things they did to her at Minato's?"

The fire apparition glanced at the nosy human before returning his gaze to the two ice maidens in the garden. "Not in specifics. Why?"

"I figured if she'd tell anyone, it'd be you. And today, when I saw you guys in the training room, I noticed how just… _covered_ in scars she is."

"I still fail to see your point," Hiei drawled.

"I'm just curious. I mean, there's no fading for most of those scars, and she's a girl so…"

Hiei felt his patience quickly dwindling. "What does it matter that she's a woman?"

"I dunno, I guess scars are just kinda like rugged and manly. Luckily she doesn't have any on her face," Kuwabara mused.

"You're the most repulsive fool sometimes," Hiei grimaced. "Scars are not a sign of masculinity. Her scars make her more appealing because they prove her strength. Each one is a sign that she is a survivor. She is self-conscious of them, though, because of idiots like you."

Kuwabara blinked a couple times, then just stared at Hiei, wide eyed. Irritation growing, the shorter male snapped, "What now?"

"It sounds like you care about her, which isn't like you."

"It's perfectly like me to point out your baffling stupidity," Hiei scoffed.

* * *

"Koenma contacted us last night," Hiei said, catching the ice maiden's attention. She was running through the forest beside him, still not nearly at his normal pace, but nearing a speed he felt better about considering their future plans to return to the Makai.

"Are Yusuke and Kurama alright?" she asked.

"Better than alright. They finally gathered enough intelligence to locate Minato. They should be able to return in about five days."

She nodded, but didn't say anything. They continued running, but he could tell her mind was elsewhere. Finally, he asked, "Are you not happy? Once this is over, we can head to the Makai. If you still want to come with me."

"Of course I do, if you'll still have me," she said hastily.

"I'd like you to come," he confirmed. "What's wrong then?"

"Part of me wishes I could kill him myself," she admitted. "But realistically, I know this is best. I have no idea how I would react if I ever saw him again. I mean, I panicked that time in the market when that guy tried putting that hairpin in my hair. If I freaked out then…"

"The best way to exact revenge on that bastard is to keep living your life. He tried to break you, and he failed. As long as you don't let what he did hold you back forever, you've won."

"You keep speaking to me as if from personal experience, Hiei."

"To an extent," he answered. "I remember what those women said about me, being thrown from that forsaken floating iceburg… I became a bitter, violent child. I lived for the thrill of the kill and wanted little more than to prove my strength to others.

"I joined a group of bandits, and they became like my family. But my violent tendencies eventually turned them away, too. And so I was rejected for the second time. I continued on alone as I had before meeting the bandits. It wasn't too long after that I lost my mother's tear stone, and realized just how much it meant to me. I sought out a doctor who could perform the operation to implant the Jagan eye so I could find the stone and the home I had first been rejected from, determined to destroy it.

"I found the Ice Domain and met Ree, my mother's best friend. She apologized for what happened to me and I found out that my mother had killed herself not too long after my exile. So I decided I would leave the Domain; there was no point in destroying a people who seemed so fractured and cold.

"I found Yukina, and decided to keep an eye on her as we continued through our lives. I met Kurama and hatched a plan to steal some artifacts from King Yama that would help me carve out a seat of power in the Ningenkai. Stopping us and retrieving the stolen items was Yusuke's first mission as Spirit Detective.

"To reduce our sentences for the theft, Koenma offered Kurama and me a deal. We helped Yusuke and the oaf get through Maze Castle and defeat the Saint Beasts so that Yusuke could destroy a weapon they used to mobilize Makai insects in the Ningenkai. It was during that mission I began to see I could be something other than the violent creature I had always been.

"I realized after some time that I had become what I did because I was subconsciously trying to prove the ice apparitions right in their rejection of me. It felt easier to deal with that way than to think they had rejected me out of prejudice and fear rather than truth. But that's reality and I've learned to cope with that. I survived hardships and I continue to move forward."

Asako slowed to a jog and then stopped. Hiei lifted a brow, knowing she could run longer than they had. "Thanks for telling me, Hiei." She wouldn't meet his gaze as she continued, "I know we're similar in that opening up is difficult, so I appreciate that you were honest with me anyway. I hope I can find it in me to persevere as you have."

"I'm more than confident in you."

The silver haired woman looked up at him for a moment before shyly looking away. Hiei had a feeling she was holding something back, but she flashed him a small smile and took off running again. Her smiles were still so rare that he couldn't bring himself to badger her anymore. So instead, he set off after her.

* * *

Thank you for your continued support of this story! I apologize for the sporadic uploading schedule. Work and adult life seem to exhaust all of my organizational abilities. I will continue to endeavor to upload three chapters a week, minimum, and hopefully will be a bit more successful at that. I truly appreciate any reviews and thoughts on the story, the characters, etc. if you have the time!

Jessica - I sort of wonder about the changes in Hiei that we see in this story. At this point, I sort of imagine that he has only hit the tip of the iceberg, and is in the very beginning stages of growth. I set this story after the anime ended, and he had developed so much as a character throughout the series, I wanted to take him as he was then and move him forward. I think the Hiei we see at the end of YYH would have been ready to forge a friendship outside of his core group, and outside of Mukuro. I hope that's coming off in my characterization of him here. Thank you again for your support!


	8. Chapter 8

"Are you sure you don't want to just stay here, Asako?"

The silver haired woman looked at her childhood friend. "Why do you ask?"

Yukina added the onions she had finished chopping to the pot she was tending on the stove and answered, "I just wouldn't have expected you to leave here with Hiei."

"Neither did I," she shrugged.

"I thought you would stay here and then go back to the Ice Domain."

"I thought I'd stay here until Koenma let me go free and then I would wander around by myself for a while."

"Are you just going with him to avoid being alone?" Yukina asked, surprised.

Asako shook her head. "Not at all. I enjoy his company."

The turquoise haired apparition watched her friend for a moment before asking, "Why aren't you going back to the Ice Domain?"

The other ice maiden stirred the contents of the pot in silence. Slowly, she replied, "I don't know if I ever want to go back."

"What?" Yukina exclaimed. "Why?"

"There's a lot wrong with our people. How can I go back? I'll be forced into a leadership role I no longer know how to fill."

"If anyone can figure it out, it's you," Yukina assured.

"I'm not so sure," Asako sighed. Despite her usual monotone, Yukina could sense a deep uncertainty in her friend.

"I hope you aren't running away from your responsibilities, Asako, because you are truly capable of doing great things for our people."

Asako's only response was another shrug of her shoulders.

* * *

"I must admit, Hiei, I'm surprised."

"Somehow, you have immediately reminded me why I didn't miss you in your absence, fox," Hiei quipped with a roll of his eyes.

"Why did you invite her to return to Aleric with you?" Kurama asked, ignoring his friend's attitude.

The fire demon glared at his red haired friend. "She provides decent company."

"You've never been one to seek out company, no matter how decent."

Hiei shrugged. "Through all of our missions, I have grown accustomed to company. You all have your own company to keep; don't bother me about this."

Kurama arched a thin brow. "Have you grown fond of her, Hiei?"

"Would I keep the company of someone I dislike?"

"What I mean is, have you developed feelings for her?"

"No," Hiei snapped quickly.

"Very convincing," Kurama teased.

"That's generally a characteristic of the truth."

The fox demon sighed and said, "It's okay if you have come to like her, you know."

"So glad I have your approval for something that isn't reality."

"Forgive me, but you have to admit that given your personality it seems like you must feel something for her to invite her back to the Makai with you." After a brief pause, Kurama asked, "How long do you intend to allow her to follow you?"

"She isn't following me, so she can leave whenever she wants."

Kurama nodded, still confused about what had happened between his friend and the ice maiden in the two months since they found her.

* * *

"You ready to go?" Hiei asked, poking his head into Asako's bedroom.

"Yes," she nodded, tossing a small bag over her shoulder.

"Let's head out then."

Asako followed behind him, glad they had said their goodbyes the night before. She appreciated Yukina's concern for her, but her friend had conjured worries and emotions in her that she wasn't ready to sort through. Getting away from the temple couldn't happen fast enough.

"Couldn't Mukuro have set up a portal for your quick return?" asked Asako.

Hiei glanced at the ice maiden. "Probably, but I prefer to take a few days between missions for Koenma and going back to border patrol."

She nodded in understanding. "I won't get in the way of your work, will I?"

"Hmm, this is the first time I've considered that. How foolish of me," replied the fire demon sarcastically.

"Well, it's the first time I have," she retorted.

With a sigh, he assured, "You won't be in the way. Honestly, I planned to patrol wherever Makuro stations me, and we'd just share lodgings. You're free to do whatever you want while I patrol. I didn't ask if you wanted to accompany me because I want to spend every waking moment with you; I asked because you're my comrade and you needed somewhere to go that wasn't the Ice Domain or the old woman's temple."

"That sounds good," she agreed easily. "When will we arrive in Aleric?"

"Given our pace, probably two days."

"Sorry that I'm slowing you down," she frowned.

"It's fine. I told you I like to take some time before heading back."

The pair ran on in silence for a long time. Hiei was surprised at how much the ice maiden's stamina had improved. They only stopped a couple times for food and water throughout the day. As the sun began to set, Hiei began looking for somewhere sheltered to stop for the night. He settled for a dead tree with a hollow alcove in its trunk.

They settled in companionable silence. Hiei reflected on how strange it was to be traveling with someone, particularly a woman. When he traveled for the Reikai, it was with his friends by portal, so that hardly counted. When he travelled with Mukuro, it was in her mobile insect-like fortress. But whenever he travelled on land, it was always by himself. It wasn't uncomfortable with Asako, just different.

"Do you want to work on healing some more?" she asked.

He nodded, relieved she didn't seem to be put off by their close quarters. She pulled off her shirt, and conjured up a shard of ice.

* * *

Hiei woke with a start when something warm brushed against his side. He calmed, seeing it was Asako. The pair had lain down to sleep near each other, given that the alcove they had chosen to stay in for the night was not especially spacious. But the gap of space between them was no more.

The ice maiden shifted, undoubtedly because of his jolt of surprise. Blinking at him blearily, she asked, "Everything okay, Hiei?"

"Fine," he answered. "Sorry for waking you."

"What happened?" she pressed, sapphire eyes showing the beginnings of concern.

"Nothing," he repeated simply, tamping down a rush of embarrassment at having been startled by the mere touch of her body against his.

Asako looked down, noticing for first time that she must have sidled closer to him in her sleep. "Oh. I'm sorry. I think I must have moved closer unconsciously because you're so warm."

"What?" Hiei lifted a brow in confusion.

"Your body heat," she said, "is really warm. I thought you knew and it was some sort of fire demon thing?"

"Nobody has ever told me that before," he shrugged. "I may run a few degrees warmer; I have no idea."

Asako hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps it's more noticeable to me because I'm an ice apparition?"

"Makes sense."

The silver haired woman was silent for another moment before saying, "Regardless, I'm going back to sleep. Again, sorry about this."

"Don't apologize," Hiei replied. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "You can stay closer if being near me keeps you warm."

Her lips twitched slightly and she said, "Thank you. I appreciate it."

Both demons lay back down, hardly any space between each other. Asako had soon fallen back to sleep, but Hiei lay away for a while. It was at first awkward to be so near someone in sleep. But then he noticed how she smelled like sugar and the mountains and how it was much easier to breathe in her scent in their close proximity. It grew to be relaxing, and he eventually drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Hang back around here." Sapphire eyes blinked at him in confusion. Hiei explained, "Not all of the company Mukuro keeps is decent."

"Okay," she nodded, accepting his explanation. She sat herself beneath a tree at the edge of the forest. "I'll wait for you here then."

"Keep an eye out," he warned. "You don't want to be seen."

The silver haired woman raised a brow, doubtless now wondering how it was safer for her to remain alone, but didn't ask. Hiei took off running toward the insect fortress at top speed. He hadn't lied to the ice maiden, but he hadn't been entirely truthful, either. It was a little risky to leave her so near where guards may be patrolling because there were many sketchy apparitions who would find far too much opportunity in stumbling upon a lone female apparition. However, he felt that the risk of walking into a meeting with Mukuro accompanied by a woman – an ice maiden, no less – was far greater. The former ruler of Aleric didn't take kindly to other women, still much more comfortable amongst men from all of her time posing as one. Additionally, he didn't know how she would react to him letting someone into his life who was of the race which rejected him and caused him so much pain. As it was, he couldn't possibly keep it a secret that he had come in contact with a woman, and that was sure to lead to questions.

He stole himself for the ensuing conversation, then entered the fortress. He strode up through the corridors, nodding at patrolmen here and there as he passed. Finally, he reached the room Mukuro conducted much of her work from and entered without knocking.

"Welcome back, Hiei," she greeted, unsurprised by his unannounced entrance. "I hope Koenma treated you well?"

"Everything was fine," he confirmed. "Where am I headed to now?"

"The western border near Spider Den. You would do well to set up camp around Emerald Lake."

"Suspicious activity or routine?"

"There has been a slightly higher than average volume of humans stumbling in that way, but it is likely just a fluke. Investigate to confirm. If there are no signs of illegal apparition activity, stay for two weeks collecting data to see if the number of crossovers remains fairly consistent. In total, I would anticipate spending a month on this assignment."

Hiei nodded. "I will leave now, then."

"Speaking of suspicious," Mukuro drawled. "Why do you smell of a woman?"

The fire apparition looked at her with a carefully neutral expression. "The woman at the center of this last mission is a healer. I felt it would be advantageous to have one around and she has agreed in order to repay me. Furthermore, she is teaching me to heal."

"For how long?"

"Until I no longer need her."

"Is that truly her only purpose?"

Hiei rolled his eyes. "You and the fox are two of a kind. Yes, that's all."

"Do not let a woman get in the way of what you must do, Hiei," warned Mukuro sternly.

"I will do my job," he replied defensively. "Which, as I recall, is voluntary."

"My support and the seat as my second are conditional, based on your volunteering."

"I'm aware."

"Good."

* * *

"We should stop here for the night," Hiei broke the comfortable silence between himself and the ice maiden.

"Alright." The silver haired woman dropped her bag and sank to the ground. "I'm pretty near exhausted anyway."

"You should tell me when you've reached your limit," he frowned.

Asako shrugged. "I wasn't at my limit, just nearing it."

"All the same," he sighed, trailing off. The pair settled beneath an overhang of stone jutting out from the rocky mountainside they had chosen as their camp. Asako pulled a small pot from her bag and conjured up a block of ice within it. She passed it to Hiei, then stood. As she began collecting firewood from nearby, he encased his hand in flame and melted the ice, providing the pair with drinking water. He set up a ring of stones in the dirt, which Asako had soon filled with firewood. He lit the wood easily and began cooking dinner.

Comfortable silence cloaked them as they worked, ate and settled down to sleep. The fire was put out to avoid giving away their location to would be enemies, so Asako slid close to Hiei. He didn't mind; it made sense as he was her only source of warmth. It was also slowly getting less awkward to sleep so near another person, even though it had only been a couple of nights.

Hiei had assumed Asako had fallen asleep and was surprised when she broke the silence. "Thank you for allowing me to travel with you. I know it must be burdensome since I cannot move as quickly as you and I suspect it's embarrassing to have a much weaker demon following you around, but I really appreciate it."

"I don't care about the pacing. Where did you get the idea that your presence is embarrassing?"

"It was an assumption," she answered simply.

"It was incorrect."

"Regardless, thank you."

Hiei frowned, hearing in her voice that she didn't quite believe his assertion. But it was late and he was tired, so he let it be. "We should leave early and put in another full day of travel. Think you can manage it?"

"I think so," she confirmed. "If you need to be there by a certain day and I'm holding you back-"

"I don't need to be there by a particular day, so don't worry about it."

"Still, if you would prefer to go ahead and I catch up…"

The fire apparition turned to look at her with a raised brow. "Do you want to get rid of my or something?"

"No, of course not," she replied with a frown.

"Then shut up, come closer and go to sleep."

Sapphire eyes locked with his for a moment, searching. She found whatever she was looking for, apparently, because the ice maiden acquiesced and slid even closer. Hiei caught her scent easily and nearly smiled. He had no idea where her odd behavior was coming from, but as long as he could enjoy her easy company for a bit longer, everything would be fine.

* * *

Thanks for the continued interest in this story. If you have time, I would truly appreciate any feedback. I am going to continue to try uploading at least three times each week.

Jessica - All I will say is that this isn't a slow burn. I hope that this quick update was enjoyable, and thank you again for your support!


	9. Chapter 9

Hiei was surprised when he returned to the campsite he and Asako had picked near Emerald Lake. The ice maiden had evidently had a busy day, because a large shelter made of branches and woven forest greenery was waiting for him. She had also dug a fire pit and collected a pile of firewood. However, the silver haired woman was nowhere to be seen.

"Asako?" he called.

There was no reply, so he reached out with his senses, searching for her. He located her and flitted in her direction, eventually finding her at the edge of the lake. She looked over her shoulder as he arrived and greeted, "Hi, Hiei."

"You kept busy today," he replied. After a pause, he awkwardly continued, "Thanks for doing all of that."

"It made sense that I do it, since I was here all day," she answered with a shrug. "Is it safe to go in the water here?"

"I think so. Why?"

"I'd like to bathe. We've been travelling a long time."

Hiei hummed his agreement. "Well, I think the water is safe, but it's not a good idea to leave yourself open around here."

"Could you stand guard then?" she asked. Hiei immediately had to fight back the heat threatening to color his cheeks. "I can do the same for you, if you'd like."

He hesitated for a moment. The fire apparition had never found himself in such a position with a woman before. He had been with a few, but that was to fulfill rather primal needs. It was her trusting him to protect her in one of the most vulnerable positions a demon could find themselves in that felt new and strange. Sure, they had met and grown closer under the arrangement that he had been assigned to protect her, but this was by her request rather than an order from above. Plus, he couldn't deny that bathing was a necessity and he would enjoy washing his back without constantly watching it.

"Fine."

"Thank you," she said with a small smile. "I brought soap and two towels from Genkai's; I'll get them both if you'd also like to bathe now?"

"I'm faster," he said, shaking his head. "I'll be right back with them."

True to his word, he returned only a few minutes later, supplies in hand. Dropping to sit on the ground, he said, "You first."

"Turn around."

Hiei acquiesced, embarrassed at having given the impression he was going to watch or something. He heard the rustle of clothes being removed and dropped to the ground, then a hand entered his peripheral vision, picking up one the towels and the soap before retreating. Crimson eyes kept a lookout at the tree line, but he listened to her hasten toward the water. The water lapped noisily at her skin as she quickly advanced deeper, and he could only imagine the view of the beautiful apparition walking nude into the green depths.

"Okay!" she called.

He slowly resumed his previous position, trying not to look too eager to face her again. The ice maiden was many yards out now, the water rising up just below her collarbone. She gave him a thumbs-up, signaling that the water was in fact safe, then began lathering soap between her hands. Hiei looked away again, scanning the area for potential threats. He glanced back at the ice maiden, watching from the corner of his eye as she washed her hair. It was lucky for him that she bathed quickly; the thoughts and urges brought on by the knowledge that she was so nearby, entirely bare, were becoming too pressing for comfort. He looked away when she indicated she was getting out, and was relieved when she was standing beside him again, wrapped in a towel.

"Watch out while I quickly dry off and get dressed?"

He didn't like the idea of her out in the open longer than the half a minute it took to get in or out of the water. There didn't seem to be anyone in the area, but the idea that someone might be able to watch the gorgeous apparition did not sit well with him. He shed his cloak and offered it to her. "Just put this on. You'll be dry and able to redress in private back at camp."

She looked at his offering for a moment as if unsure what to make of it, but then accepted the cloak. He turned away so she could pull it on. "Thank you."

He merely nodded, then pulled off his own shirt. Asako turned away quickly when his hands moved to his belt buckles, and he was both amused and disappointed. There was a faint blush on her cheeks, and he found her shyness endearing. However, he somehow wished she would have watched and seen him. He was confident in his body, and her looking would give him a free ticket to peek at her. A part of him not so deep down also wondered if she would be as affected by him as he was by her. That part had wanted to bed her almost since he first saw her, and he tried hard to silence it. It was just particularly loud in the situation he found himself in.

He also washed quickly, then got out, wrapping a towel around his waist. Asako had remained politely turned away the entire time he was bathing – he knew because he had watched to see if she would glance his way –so he placed a hand on her shoulder when he had returned.

"Let's head back."

She nodded and they walked back to camp together. Asako ducked into the shelter first, and Hiei could tell from the rustling inside that she was quickly changing her clothes. When she was finished, they swapped places. Once he was finished, the pair set about hunting down their dinner. As they later ate in silence, Hiei again noticed how bizarre it felt to be living with someone else when it had nothing to do with a mission. He knew he would quickly grow used to it if it meant having a comfortable companion around who would watch his back and who trusted him to watch hers.

* * *

"Are you at liberty to talk about whatever it is you're doing?" Asako asked one night about a week and a half after their arrival at Emerald Lake.

"As far as I know," Hiei shrugged.

"So… what are you doing?"

He was quiet for a moment, surprised that she had asked. Except for Kurama, nobody had ever really cared to ask about his assignments. Recovering, he began to explain what Mukuro had told him about the higher than average volume of humans accidently wandering over the border and how he was looking for suspicious demon activity between the realms.

"But how would they even manage something of consequence? What about the Kekkai Barrier?" she asked, brows knitting in confusion.

It hit him then how much she had missed in her three years of captivity. She had been taken probably circa the Dark Tournament, so she knew nothing of the ordeal with Sensui, or the Demon Tournament or anything. He felt angry all over again at the trash who had taken those years away from her.

"Hiei?"

Her voice brought him back to reality. "Get comfortable. I have a lot to tell you about."

* * *

"Where are my other clothes?" Asako asked.

Fighting back a blush, Hiei replied, "Hanging out to dry."

"You washed them for me?"

"I was washing my own, so it made sense. Besides, you've been doing most of the hunting lately since this assignment keeps me busy nearly all day."

She gave him a small smile. "I appreciate it, Hiei."

Even if he hadn't wanted to pull his own weight, it would have been worth taking on the chore to see the turn of her lips.

* * *

"Good, I'm glad you're back."

"Why?" Hiei asked, secretly pleased that she had been awaiting his return.

"I need your help," the ice maiden admitted. "It's embarrassing, though, so don't laugh at me!"

Curiosity piqued, he nodded his agreement. "What is it?"

She looked away bashfully before confessing, "I was splitting firewood and I got a pretty sizable splinter in my palm. I need you to pull it out."

To his surprise, the fire apparition had to fight to keep his promise not to laugh. With a poorly stifled chuckle, he asked, "You need my help with that?"

"I don't like splinters," she mumbled. "They freak me out just looking at them."

With a wide grin, he said, "Alright, sit down and hand me your knife."

She did as he requested, looking nervous. Hiei sat in front of her, using his energy to heat up the blade of her small knife to sanitize it. He allowed it to cool down and extended his hand. She hesitantly rested her palm in his, and he noted that she was breathing a little quicker than normal.

"Hold onto my knee or something with your other hand if it'll help," he offered.

Asako immediately reached out, grabbing his knee tightly. Crimson eyes inspected the splinter in her palm. "How long since you got this?"

"It happened about two hours after you left this morning."

Hiei frowned; she must truly hate splinters to have left such a painful looking one in her hand nearly the entire day. As he looked carefully for a way to remove it as cleanly and painlessly as possible, he decided the anxious ice apparition desperately needed a distraction. "I haven't found anything suspicious, so if in the next two weeks nothing comes up, I'll spend two weeks collecting data on the volume of human cross-over and then we will return to Aleric so I can report to Mukuro and get my next assignment."

Asako inhaled sharply when the fire demon brought the tip of the knife to the end of the splinter which was closest to the surface of her skin.

He urged, "Just focus on the conversation."

"Okay," she replied uncertainly.

"And look at me, not your hand."

Sapphire eyes found his face, and he nodded. Working the knife to try and catch the splinter, he continued, "So our time here is already halfway done."

"Do you mind if I continue to travel with you?" she asked.

"You can travel with me as long as you'd like to," he answered. Asako let out a tiny whine as he began to gingerly slide the splinter out. Hiei quickly continued talking. "You're easy to travel with. As much as we clashed when we first met, the real you isn't so bad."

"Thanks," she replied absently.

"How are you feeling about things?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said you needed time because you aren't ready to go back to the Ice Domain. I assumed it's because you have some things to work through before you can return."

Asako nodded. "I… don't know if I want to talk about it."

Her answer surprised him; they had grown so comfortable that he hadn't really thought there would be things she wouldn't want to talk to him about. "Well, you don't have to. I would listen, though."

Perhaps it was the snag of the splinter on her skin that convinced her to continue the distracting conversation, but soon after the ice maiden said, "I don't know if I ever want to go back."

"Why?" he asked, surprised.

"The way the Ice Domain is run is so flawed. I had my doubts about our way of life when Yukina told me about you, but then when I asked the head of the Domain about why they did that to you, I was severely punished. And then when I was taken, and I was able to endure the things I did… I can't turn a young girl into a shell like me. I don't even remember who I was before the training I was put through, and I barely remember who I was before Minato. What kind of a people are we that train children to become what I am?"

"You aren't a shell," Hiei said with a frown. "You've just become very adept at hiding. You're still in there, though. You've slowly been coming out into the open since the attack on Genkai's temple."

"Maybe," she sighed. "But it still stands that the way of life for ice maidens is no longer something I can go along with. Not only that, but I cannot go back and take my seat as leader and enforce such rules."

Hiei could see what she meant, and didn't blame her for her dilemma. He wouldn't want to return in her situation. "Well, on a more uplifting note, the splinter is out."

Sapphire eyes fell to his palm. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Hiei."

* * *

"How old are you?"

"Huh?" came Asako's sleepy reply.

The pair were lying together in their shelter, settled down to sleep for the night. Hiei turned to face the ice maiden, letting his eyes trace her face. Her sapphire eyes were closed, her face relaxed in near sleep. She was always attractive, but there were certain moments when Hiei couldn't help but notice how truly beautiful she was.

"How old are you?" he repeated. "We've known each other for nearly four months and it occurred to me when I was bored out of my mind counting humans today that there's a lot of basic stuff I don't know about you. I know we must be of a similar age if you and Yukina were in the same group at school, but…"

She hummed her understanding and answered, "I'm only about a year older than you."

"When do ice maidens reach maturity?"

"We don't really have a maturity period like other apparitions. We can technically reproduce with another demon, but our bodies are obviously built to become pregnant without another, so it's different for us. I could take a mate pretty much whenever I choose to," she explained, though she didn't open her eyes and still sounded only partially awake. "What about fire apparitions?"

"It happened for me about six years ago," he answered. "Do you have any siblings?"

"Twenty-two older sisters."

"Then how are you next in line?"

"They have already been councilwomen. I am the last child in line, so when the head councilwoman passes, I will have the most life left to live during which I could lead the Domain. Constant leadership and long reigns are the most stable and efficient, and ice maidens are all about efficiency."

"Do you have a favorite color?"

She was quiet for a moment, and he was beginning to wonder if she had fallen asleep when she answered, "Red, I suppose."

He was surprised; he had pegged her for a lover of neutrals considering her wardrobe. Hiei watched her lips part slightly in a tired sigh. "Last question: is there anywhere in the Makai that you'd really like to see?"

"No. I don't know much about other parts of the Makai. I mean, I never knew this lake existed. In the Domain, we don't learn about what's down here so that we aren't tempted to leave and explore. So I don't know really know what there is to see."

Hiei's chest tightened. As bitter and resentful as he had always been towards the women who had rejected him and deprived him of a family, he saw more and more through Asako that he had at least benefited by having freedom. His life had taken him to all stretches of the Makai and many places in the Ningenkai, too. He had seen so much, done so much. And he wanted her to be able to finally live, too. "Well, you should at least get to see a lot of Aleric if you stick with me."

"I'll be seeing much of Aleric in that case."

* * *

"Where to next?" Asako asked once he returned to the forest near Mukuro's bug lair.

"We're heading south to the Sunken Valley. There is actually a cabin out that way for border patrol and soldiers to use, so we will have a more comfortable stay this time."

"How long of a journey to get there?"

Hiei was thoughtful for a moment before answering, "Probably only three days travel. Then the assignment will probably take about six weeks."

"Alright," she nodded.

The fire apparition looked skyward for a moment, noting the sun's position. "We'll run for a couple hours and then stop early to set up camp. We've already done a good amount of travelling today; no reason to push it. Besides, I'd like to resume lessons in healing, if you're willing to continue teaching."

"Sure," the silver haired woman agreed easily. "You were making good progress, so we may as well continue. Hopefully, we can start on healing without making physical contact soon."

Hiei nodded, though he secretly vowed to enjoy the last of his lessons which involved physical contact.

* * *

Thank you for your continued interest in this story! I do apologize for the lack of updates this week; life gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it? I will try to upload a couple more times over the weekend to make up for it. If you have time, I truly appreciate feedback. I do reply to any reviews via PM (unless otherwise specified) or to Guest Reviews in the next chapter.

Jessica - Thanks so much for continuing to support this story! Hopefully it continues to be interesting!


	10. Chapter 10

"It's cute," Asako commented, looking around the small cabin.

Hiei shrugged and crossed the singular room to drop his pack by the nightstand. "There's a bathroom out back and a stream nearby to wash in."

"Thanks. Is the area safe?"

"Yeah, pretty safe I guess."

"Safe enough to go to the steam alone?"

Hiei frowned. He answered honestly, "It would be safe in that you probably wouldn't be attacked, but a lot of soldiers pass through the area. Aleric's army is comprised largely of male apparitions."

"Oh," she said with a frown.

Crimson eyes studied her face for a moment. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied, just a bit too quickly. She looked away briefly, then lowered her eyes to the floor. "A stream… so probably not very deep waters?"

"Waist high," he estimated.

"Okay," she nodded slowly.

"Asako, what's up?"

"Nothing," she repeated. "I'm going to go there now."

He watched her pull the required items from her backpack and stride toward the back door. She froze and turned back to him. "Hiei?"

"Hm?"

"Could you come with me, please? To keep watch?"

He lifted a brow in confusion. "I was already planning to. Why are you asking?"

Asako faltered and replied slowly, "Well, you said it was safe to go alone."

"Yeah, but I also said that there's always the chance that soldiers pass through."

"Well, I figured since there was no threat of physical harm, your time would be better spent elsewhere…"

Hiei frowned again. "You think I'd be alright with a bunch of Alaric soldiers running into you like that?"

Asako didn't meet his gaze. The fire apparition had to admit that his feelings were hurt. He hated the idea of any man seeing her when he couldn't. Though he wouldn't admit that to her, the bottom line was that he wasn't alright with the prospect of a bunch of apparitions happening upon her bathing.

"I hadn't thought about it like that," Asako interrupted his thoughts.

"I have your back," he asserted firmly.

"I know. Thank you, Hiei," she replied with a small but genuine smile. "I have yours, too."

* * *

"Where are you going?" asked Asako.

Hiei continued to cross the room, answering, "You can have the bed. I'll take the couch."

"That can't be as comfortable for you."

"I'm fine. It's better than the cave we slept in last night."

Asako frowned. "Still, I'd feel bad. If you prefer sleeping alone, you can take the bed and I will take the couch. Up until Genkai's, I had slept on the floor for years, so a couch-"

Hiei sighed and moved over to the bed as she spoke. He cut her off, "Move over."

"What?"

"To avoid arguing, we'll just share tonight and figure it out in the morning. I'm tired."

The silver haired woman slid over and Hiei joined her in the bed, leaving her between him and the wall. Sounding slightly pleased, she said, "Good night, Hiei."

He merely grunted in response, caught between being annoyed with her picking such a stupid fight and pleased that he could fall asleep surrounded by her familiar scent.

* * *

"I'll be back shortly."

Asako hummed her understanding, but Hiei thought he could hear a tinge of annoyance in her voice. He didn't want to get into anything with her yet, though; the faster he got through his meeting with Mukuro, the faster he would get his next assignment and he could head out.

* * *

Asako had hardly spoken to him since he finished his business with Mukuro. As they set up camp for the night, he began to wonder what had brought on her silence. Thinking perhaps she was just not in the best mood, he continued on as usual. When it came time to sleep, however, he knew there was a bigger problem at hand when she lay down as far from him as their small enclosure would allow.

"Asako, what's bothering you?" he asked, not happy to be dealing with strife.

"Nothing at all," came her stiff reply.

He rolled his eyes and said, "You've been off since we returned to Mukuro's."

"Since you returned to Mukuro's," she corrected.

"What're you talking about?"

The silver haired woman turned on her side to glare at him. "I've never been to Mukuro's, just to the forest near where she parks that god awful bug."

"Is that why you're mad at me? Because you've never been to Mukuro's?" he snapped, temper rising at the childishness of the situation.

"No, I'm mad at you because I'm sick of you being embarrassed of me or whatever reason I always have to wait behind."

Hiei's anger turned to confusion. "I'm not embarrassed of you."

"Well, you won't tell me why you can't be seen with me around any of the people you know in Aleric. What conclusions should I have drawn?"

The fire demon could see her logic when she phrased it like that. Still, he was annoyed that she thought he would be embarrassed of her. "Well, that's not it. It's just better that you don't meet Mukuro."

"Very convincing," she huffed, turning around so her back was facing him.

Hiei held back a groan. "Listen, Mukuro had a difficult past and she knows about mine. It would just be troublesome for me if she knew I was keeping the company of an ice maiden."

"I don't follow."

He searched for the right words for a while before responding, "To her, that would be a big deal. She would see me with you as I would see you becoming chummy with Minato's men."

"I'm not one of the ones who rejected you."

"No, but she views all ice maidens as being cold and cruel. I can't blame her for that, since that is how I once felt, too."

"So what would happen if she knew?"

Hiei couldn't suppress the groan that rose in his throat that time. "I'd never hear the end of it. She'd probably lecture me on being weak and naive."

"So you just don't want her to nag you because of me?"

"Basically," he confirmed.

Asako was quiet for a moment before saying, "Why didn't you just tell me that?"

"You told me that my story changed a lot for you, that the elders hurt you when you asked about me and that you are conflicted about returning to your people. I didn't think it would have helped the way you feel to know that someone of Mukuro's reputation would likely hate you because of what your people did to me."

Silence fell over them for a long stretch before the silver haired woman turned to face him once again. "In order to solve my problem, I need all the variables. Knowing how the ways of my people have affected others is really important."

Hiei gave a single nod of understanding. From her even tone of voice, he could tell she wasn't angry anymore, for which he was relieved. Relief was overshadowed by surprise when Asako slid in closer, stopping only when she was nestled in his side. Her arm rose hesitantly before she committed to awkwardly wrapping it around his torso. Heat bloomed on his cheeks and he was grateful that he was laying on his back and that she had hidden her face against his bicep.

"I apologize for being annoyed with you," she muttered against his arm. "And thanks for trying to make it easier to sort out things with the Domain and the other ice maidens."

He couldn't find his voice, still stunned by the ice maiden's sudden physical contact, but raised a hand to pat her forearm which lay across his ribs. She snuggled in just a hair closer, and within a few minutes her deep, even breaths indicated sleep. Once the shock wore off, Hiei had to admit to himself that there was something nice about her tucked into him and that the weight of her arm draped across his torso was somehow more comfortable than constricting.

* * *

"Hey," Hiei greeted. "You're back late."

"Sorry," Asako said hastily. "I was out looking for some medicinal plants and sort of lost track of time and how far away from camp I'd gone. How-"

She froze and he heard her sniff at the air. Crossing to the couch immediately, she asked, "What happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said gruffly. "It's a minor injury. I tried healing it myself, but wasn't able to."

He could hear the frustration in his own voice. She gently explained, "It is hardest to heal yourself because it requires manipulating a portion of your own energy outside of your body back into yourself. It's even harder when you still need to make physical contact."

"Let's continue working on this stuff; it's obnoxious having some skills but enough to be useful."

"We will," she promised. "Show me where you're injured."

The fire apparition shed his cloak, revealing bare skin beneath. He turned, offering her his back. There was a shallow gash cutting from the top of his left shoulder diagonally down toward his spine. He could only assume it was still bleeding, since her behavior indicated she had smelled out the injury. Her light touch feathered over the skin near the wound before her hand retreated. The warmth of her healing energy spread across the smarting skin, and he felt the tingle of rapid cell growth.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"An incompetent border guardsman tried taking on a malicious B level apparition and almost let him through. A B class wouldn't have been a problem for me, but I couldn't risk losing him in the Ningenkai, so I dove in at a less opportune time than I would have liked," Hiei explained, still annoyed at the entire ordeal. "But the demon was detained, so I guess that's what matters."

"What matters is that this isn't serious," she muttered, sounding irritated.

Hiei lifted a brow and asked, "What're you upset about?"

"You're strong, Hiei, but someone else's hubris… I don't like seeing you hurt."

His chest tightened at her sincere words. Few people had really cared about his well-being before. The warmth of her healing faded and he was surprised when her palm rested on the freshly healed skin. He wasn't sure what it was, but something about her touch felt different than the way she had ever touched him in the past.

"It's really not a big deal," he said quietly. "I've had much worse."

"I hadn't thought about this job as being dangerous," she muttered.

He felt her shift closer to him on the couch. "There isn't really any part of my life that isn't at least somewhat dangerous."

Hiei felt her breath on the back of his neck before her forehead came to press against his nape. A shiver passed through him when a lock of her long silver hair fell over her shoulder and tickled his back. He hadn't considered that she would be upset about his injury, but she clearly was and didn't like the idea that there were inherent risks in his life.

"I'm fine, Asako," he reassured as gently as he could. He wince when, even to his own ears, there was a harsh edge to his voice. "I've been through a lot and I'm still here. It would take something much bigger to take me down."

"Let's hope that doesn't happen," she mumbled.

Something about her warm presence behind him, her gentle touch and genuine care and concern pleased the fire demon. Nobody had ever touched him in the way she was then. Her thumb swept back and forth over the previously injured skin with a foreign tenderness. There was something intimate about their position, but it was different than any other intimate position he had ever found himself in. She was probably the first woman he'd ever bear his back to, but he was also content to remain like that with her rather than shy away. Even with the women he had bedded, as soon as the deed was done, he had no desire for more physical contact. It was strange and confusing, but Hiei decided not to think too much about it just then. It was nicer to just enjoy the newfound closeness.

* * *

"I'll head to the stream to catch some fish for dinner," Asako offered cheerfully.

"Alright," Hiei agreed. "Thanks for helping me train."

His eyes trailed her form for any injury as he spoke. He detected none on the skin exposed by her loose fitting white t-shirt or black athletic shorts. Satisfied, he turned away and began clearing the ash from their fire pit. He heard the ice maiden leave the camp, so he continued doing campsite maintenance while he awaited her return.

A long time passed however, and Hiei had been done and waiting for longer than he thought reasonable. Worried thoughts nagged him, so he set out quickly toward the stream. When he arrived, his anger flared.

Asako was encircled by five men he recognized from the Aleric army. Her expression was livid and her body language showed him she was on the defensive. Her left wrist was held captive by the clawed hand of one apparition. She looked unharmed, much to his relief, but he stormed forward regardless. One of the soldiers sensed him, turning and breaking into a lewd grin.

"Hey, Hiei! Look at what we found!"

Alerted to his presence, the other four whooped in greeting and excitement. Hiei opened his mouth to give them hell, but froze, absolutely enraged when the demon with a hold on Asako's arm jerked on her suddenly, his other hand flying to the top of her hand and shoving her down into the water. She was taken by surprise, but soon recovered enough to focus her energy to her skin, turning the areas he was touching painfully cold. He yelped and pulled away, allowing the ice maiden to stand back up and take in a deep breath of air.

"Just as nice as we thought that body would be under there!" jeered another apparition, laughing at the fact that Asako's white shirt was now transparent and her grey sports bra and slim torso were now visible. He reached out with his eyes glued to her chest.

 _How dare they touch my woman?_

Hiei flitted to stand in front of her, shoving the two nearest soldiers back. She wouldn't meet his gaze, staring at the water blankly.

"Ah, boss wants his piece first!"

The fire demon slipped of his cloak, wrapping it around the ice maiden carefully. She clutched at the fabric, but made no other move. His action had silence the soldiers, and he turned a fierce glare on them.

"What the fuck were you doing?" he barked.

"Just having some fun, boss. You know how it is; lonely travels of a soldier are made a whole lot better when ya meet a pretty girl."

"Trips are made better when you meet a willing woman," he snapped. "You represent Mukuro and the Demon King; do you think this is how you should conduct yourselves?"

The five exchanged wary glances.

Hiei continued, "If you ever harass a woman again, I will make sure you are dishonorably discharged. For now, I will report this to Mukuro and you can expect some unpleasant assignments for the foreseeable future."

"Sir," they confirmed, nodding.

"And," he snarled, "if you ever come near _this_ woman again, I will not hesitate to end you."

They each paled at the threat and shakily confirmed their understanding, "Sir!"

"Get the fuck out of my sight," spat the fire demon.

They scrambled over each other for a moment before dashing away. Hiei turned back to Asako and his body moved to automatically pull her safely against him. In a gentler tone, he asked, "You okay?"

She nodded and said, "I don't know what happened. I should have fought, defended myself sooner. But I shut down. It was back to square one, reverting to my shell."

"Old habits die hard. Your body has a defense mechanism that has always worked, so it's natural that it still turns to that," he comforted her. "And you weren't your old self; you looked mad as hell and I'm sure the lowlife that grabbed you has frostbite."

"I suppose," she sighed.

"You're too hard on yourself," he frowned.

"Perhaps. Anyway, thank you, Hiei."

He nodded. Now that his anger had subsided and he was sure she was alright, he could think on a very pressing problem he had just discovered; since when did he start thinking of Asako as his woman?

* * *

Thank you all for your continued interest in this story. I truly appreciate all of the follows, favorites, and reviews. If you have the time, please consider leaving some feedback.

Jessica - Things are finally clicking for Hiei! Thank you for sticking around long enough for to see it, and for your continued support.


	11. Chapter 11

"Hiei?"

"What?" he snapped.

Asako's sapphire doe eyes went even wider. "I just wanted to know how we were doing on fire wood."

"We've been better. I'll go get some."

"I could help," she offered.

"It would've helped if you'd kept on top of it earlier."

She looked taken aback, but nodded slowly. "Sorry, Hiei. I'll cook while you're gone, then."

The fire apparition didn't respond. He merely used his speed to disappear from the clearing. He felt badly that he had clearly hurt the ice maiden's feelings with his cold attitude, but he had to put some distance between them. It had been a week since the incident with the Aleric soldiers, and he had done a lot of thinking and had come to a decision. His feelings for the ice maiden had clearly changed. His first impression of her had been that he would have lain with her if given the chance. Then he had come to absolutely loathe her. Once she had saved Yukina and begun opening up to him, he felt comfortable companionship. But sometime after that, his feelings had grown and developed into what he could only assume were romantic feelings.

He knew on some level that he was capable of caring about another romantically, but he hadn't thought it would ever happen. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted it to happen. He was content to live life by his own rules, and it was more difficult to do that with a partner and much harder having taken a mate. Living on his own and finding a random lay when the need arose was much simpler, and Hiei appreciated simplicity. So how had this happened without his notice?

It had to be something about Asako. Surely, it took a special woman for him to develop such feelings. But perhaps there was something about her that made it easier. She was beautiful, surely, but perhaps it was something about her large blue eyes. Or maybe it was something about her body; lined as it was with scars, her strength appealed to him. Perhaps it was her easygoing disposition or how easy it was to be silent with her. Maybe it was her intelligence, her quiet thoughtfulness, or her boundless loyalty. The possibilities were endless, considering how many things he had grown to like about her.

His solution was to re-institute the distance between them that kept that at mere companionship levels. He opted for silence whenever possible and had dropped niceties almost entirely. If she grew at all resentful of him, it would make distance between them much easier. He felt badly about it, but eased his own guilt by reminding himself that if she tired of him she knew she was free to leave.

* * *

Another week passed, and Hiei wasn't happy with the progress he had made distancing himself from Asako and letting his feelings wane. There were only a few things left for him to try, and one was to stop sleeping beside her. He hadn't done that immediately after deciding to pull away because he had found that he slept better with her next to him. But he would take less sleep in the interest of stifling these newly discovered feelings.

"Are you going to sleep soon, Hiei?" Asako asked.

"No," he answered shortly.

She frowned at him and sat in silence for a moment, staring into the fire between them. Slowly, she stood from her seat on the ground and moved into the shelter they had constructed upon arriving in the location of Hiei's newest assignment. Crimson eyes fell to the flames before him. He had to keep reminding himself of his conviction to rid himself of his deeper feelings.

* * *

On the fourth night of not settling down to sleep at the same time as Asako, when Hiei ducked into the shelter he was unpleasantly surprised to see that the silver haired woman was still awake. Pretending he hadn't noticed, he settled down as far away from her as he could. She didn't say anything right away. In fact, the fire demon was hopeful she was just letting it go. Alas, that wasn't the case.

"Did I do something, Hiei?" Her soft, sad whisper met his ears.

Summoning his will power, he merely responded, "No."

"What's been going on the past few weeks?"

"Nothing."

There was a long stretch of silence before she muttered, "I'm sorry about the whole thing with those soldiers. I've been training more during the day, so I'm hopeful I can reprogram my body's go-to defense."

He was glad he had settled with his back to her, otherwise she would have seen the guilt on his face. "You've done nothing wrong, Asako."

"Then why…?"

Hiei said nothing, letting her question hang, unfinished. He feared for a moment that she would move closer to him, but she didn't, evidently sensing his mood.

* * *

His plan seemed to be working, at least to an extent. It had been two weeks since the awkward night with Asako and she had kept the distance he had clearly placed between them. Conversation occurred only when necessary, they worked and trained together without excess contact, and they slept apart. He was still waiting for his feelings to change again, but it had taken time to get to the point he was at, so it would take time to revert back.

Still, his guilt hadn't eased and he wasn't any happier yet. It certainly made it more difficult to keep up, but eventually it would feel habitual and normal and he could contently live free of attachments once again.

Hiei stoked the fire worriedly. Asako wasn't at camp when he returned and hadn't come back since. Several hours passed before she finally appeared in the clearing. His worry turned to anger when he caught the scent of a man on her.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"I went into town."

"Gonna need more information than that," he growled.

"I needed to get soap," she answered, leveling him with a glare.

Hiei sneered. "Sure, because that takes hours to accomplish."

"You're really starting to piss me off," she hissed.

" _I'm_ starting to piss _you_ off?!"

Asako strode up to him, sapphire eyes flashing angrily. "No, you're right. I've been upset with you for a while now."

"You're pushing it," he growled.

"Good, because you've been fucking with me for a month now. It took me a while to figure out what's been going on with you. For a couple weeks you had me feeling terrible that I had done something to anger, or upset, or hurt you and that's why you were so cold and distant. But that's not it at all."

" _Really_ fucking pushing it."

"You've decided you're afraid of what's happened between us and have been trying to push me away."

"And what's happened between us? Enlighten me," he challenged.

Asako rolled her eyes. "Are we really going to do this, Hiei?"

"Nothing has happened between us, Asako," the fire demon asserted gruffly.

"So you're saying you would be fine if I left?"

"You're free to leave whenever you want."

"Good job avoiding the question. Answer this, then: what if I left to be with another man?"

Hiei froze, keeping his glare in place, but was caught off guard. "What are you talking about?"

"You've convinced yourself you don't want to be with me. I'll respect that if that's truly what you want, but you need to accept everything that means. My life isn't you or nobody, Hiei. If not you, someday I will find someone else. It may not be the same as what we have, but I have not intentions of living out my life alone. That is a privilege I will not allow my people to take from me. So, Hiei, can you accept me being with another man? If so, tell me to leave and I will do so civilly."

Her words had immediately shaken the fire demon. It hadn't occurred to him that by pushing her away, he was essentially pushing her into the arms of another. If not now, then someday. And he knew immediately by the anger and tightness in his chest, the churning of his stomach, the automatic clenching of his hands, that he couldn't accept that. It wasn't fair to expect her not to take a mate because his life would be simpler not to pursue his feelings for her. But pursuing his feelings would be a difficult path in its own right, and a complete lifestyle change. Although, his lifestyle had already changed with her accompanying him in his travels. Could he tell her to go and reconcile with being completely alone again? Could he tell her to go and accept that she would eventually be with another man?

He couldn't.

"Well?" she pressed, propping a hand on her hip.

"I don't accept what it would mean to tell you to leave, though you are still free to go whenever you want."

To his absolute horror, her big blue eyes began shining with excess moisture. "Dammit, Hiei! Don't you think you've put me through enough in the past four weeks?"

He blinked in surprise. "What do you-?"

She cut him off, blinking hastily to try and clear away the unshed tears. "You fucking hurt me and I deserve a straight answer. Do you want to be with me, or should I leave?"

Hiei wasn't sure he had ever felt more remorse for anything than he did in that moment, knowing he had brought one of the strongest people he had ever met to near tears. His body moved of its own accord, wrapping her in an embrace and tucking her into his chest.

In the faintest of whispers, he confessed, "I want to be with you."

Asako buried her face against him for a moment, and he could tell she was forcibly reining in her emotions. Her body relaxed gradually, until she slowly returned the embrace. The silver haired woman looked up at him, sapphire meeting crimson. She tilted her head up and Hiei was taken aback when she pressed her lips to his.

It was easily the sweetest, most chaste kiss he'd ever had. His lips trembled against hers for a moment, caught off guard by the gesture. Despite its innocence, it felt more intimate than almost anything else he had experienced. Recovering, he kissed her back, lifting a hand to cup her cheek gently. When they broke away, they pulled apart only slightly. Her lips brushed his again when she spoke.

"I want to be with you, too. Nobody has ever made me feel as safe to be myself as you have, Hiei."

He was touched by her words and responded by holding her close once more.

* * *

"Yes, yes, there you go!"

"Keep going?"

"Don't stop now!"

Hiei's brow furrowed in concentration. "I'm close to my limit, I think."

"Almost there; push through it!"

"Asako…"

"Hiei," Asako flashed him a smile. "You did it!"

Crimson eyes refocused and his body relaxed. Breathing heavily, he looked at her forearm which previously held a long cut. His fingers trailed over the freshly healed skin, marveling at its smoothness.

"You've really gotten the hang of non-contact healing," the ice maiden praised.

"Why am I so tired, though?" he asked.

"I was the same way when I was learning to heal. It seems like it takes a great deal of energy to spread across the entire body, but with more practice, you'll get a feel for the minimal amount that is actually necessary to do it."

Hiei hummed his understanding then laid back in the grass. Asako's index finger skimmed the exposed stripe of skin where his tank top rode up from his movement. Her hand slipped under the fabric, resting on his abdomen.

"You okay?" she asked.

He nodded, crossing his arms beneath his head. Crimson eyes fell closed, focusing on the feeling of her baby finger tracing nonsense shapes on his skin. Just being with her was easy and it made him happy; over-thinking was what had created a mess of things. Perhaps this wasn't what he had envisioned for his life, but this is where things had led him.

* * *

"Do you ever miss your friends?" Asako asked from her position on the bank of the river.

Hiei paused in washing to look at her. He stood waist deep in the water, but the ice maiden largely avoided looking his way, remaining focused on their surroundings. Despite his assurance that there was likely no possible threat in the area, she kept vigilant. The fire demon had a suspicion it was to cover up that she was still fairly shy about him in a physical sense. She showed affection through touch, surely, but was always chaste and gentle. Not that he minded; it was new to him to receive the touch of a woman that wasn't aggressively sexual.

"Sort of," he replied with a shrug.

"How do you 'sort of' miss people?"

"I mean I don't actively miss them, but I do usually feel relieved when we reconvene. They're the first people I ever really felt comfortable with, who didn't reject me," he replied, an admission he'd probably never make to anyone else.

"Do you only see them when Koenma gives you guys a mission?"

"No, the Detective usually organizes reunions every so often. His human woman and his duties in Tourin keep him busy, so they aren't regular, but they do happen."

She didn't ask any more questions, so he returned to the task at hand and began washing his hair while musing about the ice apparition. Her shyness was endearing, and he enjoyed all of the firsts he was experiencing with her. She was the first woman he actually slept beside, the first to handle him so tenderly, the first to kiss him with emotion, the first to hold his hand as they sat together. He knew that he was her first everything; there were no men in the Ice Domain and she had been captured the first time she ventured from her snowy home. She made it clear that nothing sexual was ever forced on her during her capture, and she had been by him ever since. Part of him purred with satisfaction that she was untouched and had entrusted herself to him. Another part felt guilty, considering she had no idea of the scope of his experience. Perhaps honesty was best sooner rather than later.

He waded back through the water, walking up the bank to where she sat, looking determinedly away with pink tinting her cheeks. Hiei toweled off just enough to pull on his pants before sitting down in the grass. "Your turn."

She nodded and approached the edge of the water, then looked back at him expectantly. He tried to sound nonchalant as he said, "You know, it's not like I've never seen a woman before."

Asako blinked once before responding, "Well, you've never seen me before and that's not changing today."

He averted his gaze, wondering if the implication he was making had escaped her. Once she had called out to him, assuring she was deep enough in the water, he turned to look at her. They were silent in the short span it took her to wash, and he politely looked away when she made to get out of the river. Asako returned to his side wearing his cloak, per usual when she finished bathing. The thought of her being completely bare in his clothes was always arousing, and it ensured that no wandering eyes could fall on her, so he always insisted she wear it.

The ice maiden sat beside him, carefully toweling her hair. Hiei watched her for a moment before saying, "To be clearer, I've seen and been with women before."

Asako gave him a weird look and replied, "Okay."

"Does it not bother you?" he asked, arching a brow. "The thought of you lying with another man about boils my blood."

"It doesn't make me happy," she replied with an eye roll. "But I assumed that was the case. Not many demons who have reached maturity remain celibate, and you told me that it happened for you six years ago, so my hope that you hadn't been with other women died then. There's no use being upset about something I can't change."

"It wasn't meaningful," he offered.

"I can at least offer you something genuine, then. Something real."

Hiei's eyes scanned her face. Slowly, he said, "Something real… I like that."

* * *

Many thanks for your continued support of this story. I genuinely appreciate the follows, favorites, and reviews. If you have time, I would love to hear any thoughts on how this story is unfolding!

Jessica - Hopefully this has been satisfying! The wait for their relationship to take form is over! Thank you again for all of your feedback.


	12. Chapter 12

"See you in a bit."

Hiei nodded, turning to Asako. He tucked a lock of silver hair behind her ear and placed a quick kiss on her lips. She gave him a small smile and he flitted away. Although Asako's speed had increased immensely, he enjoyed the comforting rush of his own speed as he made his way to Mukuro's mobile lair. The guards at the entrance greeted him when he got there, granting him access.

The fire demon strode through the halls, consciously walking at a leisurely pace. He didn't want to seem like he was in a rush. If anyone thought he was acting strangely, they would get curious and that meant his relationship with Asako was at risk of being discovered. He was sure that Mukuro would catch on eventually, but the longer he could delay that conflict, the better.

"Hiei," greeted the former Lord of Aleric when he pushed into her business chambers.

"Mukuro. I trust you received my last few reports?"

"I did," she nodded. "Thank you for your continued diligence. The adjustments you suggested on the eastern border will be executed promptly."

He replied, "Good to hear."

"And those soldiers you cited for improper conduct have been reassigned and placed on probation."

"Excellent."

Mukuro leveled him with a look, challenging him to evade her question, "The woman they were harassing, she was the healer you're traveling with, right?"

"Yes," he answered.

"And you're still working on healing?" she asked skeptically.

Hiei sighed and held back from rolling his eyes. "Believe it or not, it's difficult to acquire complex new skills while working border control."

She hummed, and Hiei could tell she still doubted his explanation. Thankfully, she let it go. "Your next assignment is on the southwest border. There is a unit of fresh recruits down there and I would like you to train them. I expect this will take about three months."

"Alright. Is the training regimen still the same?"

"It is," she confirmed. "I will have someone get you the documents outlining what needs to be done, though I'm confident you still remember from when you first came to Aleric."

"I believe I do," he nodded.

"Not surprising. This is more your pace, I'd think."

"I enjoy working with the soldiers," he allowed.

Mukuro smirked, "Better than with the clueless humans?"

"Decidedly."

"I want biweekly reports."

"Understood."

* * *

"So… we have to pretend we're just acquaintances?"

"It would be helpful," he nodded hesitantly. Asako didn't look pleased. He stopped running and she followed suit, stopping a few feet ahead. Recalling her previous concerns, he assured, "It's not that I'm embarrassed of you, Asako."

"You explained that before," she replied blankly.

"Just… give me some time. I'm still getting used to this. I will face Mukuro and take whatever she has to say to me, but not quite yet."

Sapphire eyes traced his face for a moment before she sighed. "That's fine. I understand your position; it just doesn't feel great on this end."

"We'll have a cabin to ourselves, though," he mentioned.

"I feel like you're insinuating something, Hiei," she teased.

"Not at all," he replied, only partially truthful. "It's nicer than the other cabin we stayed in. This one has a bathroom and shower inside."

A small smile turned her lips. "I can't lie; that sounds amazing. I got used to the showers at Genkai's, so not bathing in a river or something is going to be a nice change."

Hiei chuckled and tilted his head in the direction they had previously been running. Asako understood and they took off running once again.

* * *

"How're the recruits?" Asako asked. Hiei groaned and lifted his forearm from its position draped over his eyes. Covering her mouth briefly before clearing her throat, she asked, "That good?"

"So glad you find my frustration near laughable," Hiei snapped. "Some of them are as stupid as Kuwabara."

The ice maiden's lips puckered slightly and she had to clear her throat again. "If anyone can whip them into shape, it's you."

Hiei watched her for a while. He was lying on their bed and she had just gotten out of the shower. She sat on the foot of the bed, clad in a loose black t-shirt and back cotton shorts, carefully brushing through her long silver locks.

"I wish I knew what it would take to make you laugh," he mentioned.

She didn't pause in her task, but glanced up at him. "Well, there are things that I find funny. I just don't have any idea when the last time I laughed. It feels strange to even have the urge to."

Hiei continued to idly watch her drag the brush through her hair. He was struck with a sudden idea, and waited patiently for her to finish. When she set the brush down, he sat up and leaned in, placing a kiss on her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she returned the kiss. He smirked against her lips, then dug his fingers into her sides, tickling mercilessly.

Asako pulled back immediately, though unable to escape his hands, and protested, "Hiei!"

He merely gave her a mischievous look and continued to tickle her. She squirmed, and their struggle ended up in her on her back with him hovering over her. A crooked smile turned her lips and a strange whining came from her throat. He lowered his mouth to the side of her neck, lightly swirling the tip of his tongue in circles against her skin.

Finally, a tiny giggle slipped past the seam of her lips. Hiei stopped his relentless torment, and the ice maiden calmed beneath him. With a small smile of his own, he leaned down and enveloped her lips in a soft, slow kiss.

In a whisper so low she could barely make out his words, he muttered, "Even better than I expected."

* * *

"Ah, excuse me, Miss Asako?"

The ice maiden turned to look at the new border patrolman curiously, though her expression was arranged to be carefully blank. She asked, "Nobu, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded. "I was wondering if you could possibly help me with something?"

"What is it?" she asked. She shifted her basket of herbs slightly to fit better in the crook of her elbow. The ice apparition had been pleasantly surprised that the training camp was close to a town with great shops and markets.

He flushed and admitted, "I took something of a beating today in training; could you just check this bruise I got? I'm just concerned that there could be internal bruising because of where it is."

"Sure," she nodded. "Let's see it."

"It's not really in a suitable place with all of these civilians around."

"Fine," Asako replied, masking her annoyance with apathy. "Let me pay for these things and we can go somewhere more secluded."

Fifteen minutes later, Asako found herself alone with Nobu in a quiet part of the forest. She set her basket down, and looked up to tell the young apparition to show her the afflicted area, but he was already pulling off his shirt. She thought it was strange, but then she saw a large bruise low on his abdomen. It looked painful, though likely nothing too serious. Still, she decided to check it out more thoroughly. Raising her hand, she hovered over the deep purple contusion and released her energy. Everything felt normal on the surface, and his organs felt completely fine as well. She healed the bruise, seeing as it was a simple task and her energy was already at work.

"That should do it," she announced, pulling back her hand.

"Ah, really?" he asked, sounding unsettled.

"Yes, why?"

"It still feels kinda tender."

The ice maiden looked at the healed skin, confusion threatening to knit her brows together and break her void expression. She reached out her hand again, asking, "Do you mind my touching where the bruise was?"

"Go ahead."

She carefully used her fingertips to press gingerly into the formerly bruised skin, trying to feel if there was actually some organ swelling that she missed. Nothing felt amiss, and she was just about to announce that when he said, "It's tender a little farther down."

Asako pushed at the skin, slowly trailing her fingers down his lower abdomen. She didn't think the bruise had encompassed the area quite so close to the hem of his pants, and everything felt normal. Suddenly, the young apparition let out a groan of pain that was clearly forced and jerked his hips, not-so-accidently positioning his groin beneath her palm.

Hiei nodded at Asako's explanation. He knew that she wouldn't go around performing sex acts with random men, but the anger had burned white hot when he stumbled onto the scene her story had explained. It wasn't directed at her, but it had been sort of blind. He had spewed some threats at the recruit that he could no longer recall before ordering him to do a brutal number of laps through the training course. He had stewed the entire way back to the cabin he and Asako shared and had harshly demanded she explain what he had seen as soon as the front door closed behind them.

"So, are you done freaking out?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded slowly. "These recruits are going to be the death of me."

"They kind of suck," Asako agreed.

Hiei sighed, forcing his body to relax. "I apologize if it seemed like I was angry with you. That wasn't the case."

"It's fine, Hiei."

"Disrespectful little shit," he mumbled, trying to think of a punishment for Nobu that would be worth what he had done but which didn't involve his fists and the idiot's face. "I don't understand these soldiers. It's like none of them has ever interacted with a woman."

"They can't all be as suave as you," Asako quipped.

Hiei rolled his eyes. "You're with me, so I must be pretty great."

"Well, you're great for me."

The fire apparition raised his brow. "That doesn't sound like a compliment, somehow."

"I just mean that somebody who has never struggled and dealt with shit wouldn't be good for me. I need someone who's a little fucked up. Could you stand being with a woman who had walked an easy path in life?"

"Probably not," he agreed. "Anyway, I'll see that Nobu learns from his mistakes and that the rest of the recruits have him as an example."

Asako smirked and said, "Don't be too severe; they may catch on that I'm not just your acquaintance the healer."

"I'm not sure if you're being genuine or passive aggressive about my request to remain secretive, but you're right. I do need to consider that."

The ice maiden shrugged. "I was being a little bit of both."

Hiei rolled his eyes. "Are we going to argue about this again?"

"No," she answered easily. "I get where you're coming from, I'm just not happy about it."

"Some people find secrecy thrilling." She hummed and said nothing else. Asako moved to begin preparing dinner and Hiei watched her, nagged by the feeling that he didn't get the whole picture. "Why does this bother you so much?"

"I don't know what you mean."

Hiei saw through her easily. "Considering hardly anything bothers you, I'm asking: why this?"

She glanced at him and he could see the flicker of hesitation in her eyes before she arranged her expression to be carefully blank. "I've already told you. There's nothing more to say."

The fire apparition closed the distance between them. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek in his palm. He pressed, "Asako?"

Sapphire met crimson for a long moment, before her expression changed to one of defeat. "I've spent my whole life being hidden away from the world. It feels like you're doing it to me now, too."

Hearing her explanation, it seemed obvious. She trusted him, only felt safe enough to be herself with him at this point in her life. But he had kept her cut off from a major part of his life in his own self-interest. And now that she had to cross into this part of his life living on the training base, he had insisted they pretend she wasn't of importance to him. If she felt like he had been hiding her like her captors and the ice apparitions had, she had to feel hurt. And, he realized, he would probably feel hurt if she insisted they act like she wasn't his around others. He was hers only in private, and that wasn't fair to her. His hand fell to her hip.

"It wasn't my intention to make you feel that way. I need to tell Mukuro before we're open in front of anyone who works for her. After this assignment, I'll speak with her."

"You don't… need her permission or something, do you?"

Hiei chuckled. "No, don't worry. But she would feel somewhat betrayed if I don't tell her and she hears it through the grapevine. Especially considering that you're an ice maiden."

"I don't want you to feel like you have to do that," she sighed. "I truly understand where you're coming from in keeping this discrete."

"It's fine; I was putting off potential conflict, and that's really not my style." The silver haired apparition still didn't look happy, so he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I just… feel badly now."

Hiei sighed. "Don't; you're right and I'm wrong about this. I'll rectify things after this mission and we can move forward. Until then, we have to keep up the charade, so if anything, this is like a compromise."

Her expression seemed to brighten marginally at that, and Hiei took that as a good sign. Asako nodded once and said, "True. Thanks, Hiei; I feel better now."

* * *

Hiei stifled a groan of appreciation. Finally – finally! – a kiss had grown deeper. He certainly appreciated and enjoyed the chaste, tender ones that passed between himself and the ice maiden, but he did at times crave something more. She had shied away from his attempted advances, and he couldn't blame her; she'd been hurt in the past and had grown up in a place that forbade any sort of intimacy. But she seemed to be feeling more comfortable, considering that she had opened up in response to him tracing her Cupid's bow with the tip of his tongue.

He had entered hungrily, a starving man dying for a taste of her. She had tensed at first, probably taken aback by his fervor, but had relaxed and allowed him to do a sweep with his tongue. The dark haired male pressed into her harder, bending her back slightly over the kitchen countertop. One of her arms which had wrapped around his neck loosened, dropping so her hand could clutch at his shoulder. His grip on her hips tightened. Asako shyly slipped her tongue over his and he responded with encouragement.

A knock at the door drew a growl from his lips. He cut his crimson eyes toward the door in a glare. "If this isn't important, I will kill whoever that is."

He regretfully pushed away from the ice maiden, and heard her rush to the bathroom, out of sight from whoever had interrupted them. After a quick adjustment of his ruffled shirt and hair, Hiei swung the door open and scowled at the person on the other side.

"Sir, a delivery from Lord Mukuro," said the apparition, handing him a thick envelope.

Hiei took it, annoyance festering when he realized it was only the paperwork outlining the second half of the training regimen. "Thanks. Dismissed."

The demon turned to leave and Hiei wasted no time in closing the door again. Tossing the envelope on the kitchen table he called, "He's gone."

She emerged from the bathroom, her index finger absently poking at her lower lip. The fire demon smirked, noticing with satisfaction that her lips were red and slightly swollen from the attention he had paid them. His expression fell, thinking about how the interruption had effectively broken the mood and he doubted he could successfully try to pick back up where they left off. It would have been pushing his luck to initiate such a kiss twice in one day at this point. That was okay, though; as much as he'd like her to _really_ share his bed, he had to admit to himself that a slow, progressive journey was much more enjoyable.

* * *

Thank you again for all of the continued support. I sincerely appreciate each favorite, follow, and review. If you have the time, please consider leaving feedback. I do try to respond to everyone, unless otherwise specified.

Jessica - Thanks for your continued interest! I'm glad the last chapter was satisfying. I hope this chapter was, too!


	13. Chapter 13

"Miss Asako, do you have anything for swelling?"

The ice maiden nodded at the blond demon in the doorway. She had to admit that some of the recruits had grown on her. Some were genuinely kind and appreciative of her healing and herbal remedies. She enjoyed helping them through the aches and pains that came with training under Hiei, and in fact, it helped the fire demon out that her work allowed his trainees to recuperate and return to training quickly and in good form.

The recruit, Kaoru, followed her into the cabin and waited while she rummaged in the lower cabinets for her baskets of balms and salves. As she searched, she sensed Hiei's presence coming closer and knew he had arrived when Kaoru stood from his perch on the couch and saluted, "Sir!"

"The hell are you doing here?" Hiei asked irritably.

"Sir, just getting something for joint swelling from Miss Asako."

Hiei grunted and disappeared into the bathroom. Asako heard the shower turn on right as she found what she was looking for. Turning back to the blond, she said blankly, "Apply this twice a day – once when you wake up and once before you go to sleep – until the swelling has been gone for two days."

He accepted the small tin she had offered and said, "Thank you so much, Miss Asako."

"No problem. Bring the tin back when you're done; I like to reuse them."

"I will," he nodded. "Have a… uh… nice evening with…"

He gestured toward the bathroom door and flushed, embarrassed at his own awkwardness. Asako nodded, remaining blank-faced. "Thank you, Kaoru. Get some rest and minimize the stress on that joint."

"I will. Thanks again!" he replied cheerfully before taking his leave.

Only a moment later, the water in the shower turned off. Hiei walked out shortly after, clad only in a pair of pants. He sank to their shared bed with a sigh. From the kitchen, Asako called, "Are you always that rude to the only decent recruits you have?"

"Only when the other incompetents piss me the fuck off."

"It's not their fault that the others are stupid."

"Obviously."

He heard Asako sigh but she didn't say anything else, evidently giving up on the conversation. The fire demon simply closed his eyes, thinking over what he could do to get the struggling band of recruits to understand the current lesson and perform well at it. He could hear Asako moving around, but paid her no mind.

In fact, he must have fallen asleep, because suddenly he felt the ice maiden beside him on the bed. She must have climbed up from the foot of the mattress and was trying to get under the covers without jostling him too much.

Blearily, he asked, "Is it night already?"

"Yeah, you've been sleeping for a few hours."

Hiei turned to look at her as she settled beneath the comforter and accused, "You didn't wake me."

"Well, I'm not your keeper," she rolled her eyes. "But also, you've been working a lot lately. And if your mood has been any indication, I'd say you needed some rest. You're not divine, Hiei; you have basic needs like the rest of us."

He ignored her sass, knowing it came from a place of concern. "You're probably right on the rest front. Although I really need to come up a way to deal with the recruits tomorrow."

"Something will come to you," she shrugged. "Come back at the problem in the morning with a fresh outlook and a rested mind."

He nodded once and watched the silver haired woman roll onto her side, back facing him. Hiei frowned for a moment before she slid backwards, pressing into him spoon style. He draped an arm around her waist before settling down to sleep once more.

* * *

Hiei awoke to a pair of lips pressing against his cheek. He almost failed at suppressing a smirk. Successfully, he made no reaction, waiting for the ice maiden's next move. She ran her fingers through his hair slowly, but he still made no indication that he was going to wake up completely.

Asako leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I know you're awake. I'm going to take a shower, and maybe use up all the hot water. It doesn't look like you'll be needing any."

His arm reached out and snaked around her waist, pulling her on top of him. Crimson eyes met sapphire and Asako returned his smirk with a smile. Mischievously, he said, "If you won't save me any hot water, I'll have to just take my share with you."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Not today you won't. But nice try."

"Save me some hot water then," he replied smoothly, placing a quick kiss on her lips. "Otherwise, I can make no guarantees."

The ice maiden didn't look amused at his jest. Rather, she frowned and her brows crawled toward each other slightly. "You win; there will be hot water waiting for you."

The fire demon studied her face for a moment. "I was just teasing, you know."

"I know," she nodded.

He detected no lie, so he asked, "What's wrong then? Was my attempt at flirtation that abysmal?"

"Not at all. Nothing's wrong," she answered. She pressed her lips to his again, then slid off of him. Hiei watched her make her way into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. He sighed, wishing she wouldn't lie and cover things up when she was upset about something. Although he had a hard time expressing himself, he had never had a hard time making clear things he didn't like. Asako still wasn't good at expressing herself in any regard, though she had grown much easier to understand than when he had first met her. The fire demon got out of bed and began fixing breakfast, musing about ways to get her talking more freely.

Two things woke Hiei that night. One was a feeling that something was off. The other was feeling Asako slide closer, resting her forehead lightly between his shoulder blades. He shifted and he felt her tense immediately, clearly not having meant to wake him. The fire apparition turned on his other side, wrapping her up in his arms. He buried his nose in her hair, basking as always in her natural, sweet smell, but said nothing. It wasn't clear what was bothering the ice maiden, but he could at least offer her some form of comfort.

"Hiei?" she asked softly.

"Hn?"

"Are you dissatisfied?"

"What?" he asked, suddenly much more awake.

"Because we aren't physical," she clarified.

Hiei adjusted his arms around her, holding her closer. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"I keep shooting down your advances," she sighed. "I know as a mature demon you have needs that I just can't satisfy yet."

"I am very much in control of myself; my primal urges have never ruled me. I've been with women in the past to satisfy those urges, but I am not a slave to them." After a moment's pause, he forced himself to admit, "I am much happier doing things this way."

The ice apparition peered up at him from beneath her lashes. "Yeah?"

He nodded. "You said it yourself; with you, this is something real. Don't feel pressured to do anything you don't want to do. I understand."

"It's nothing to do with you," she mentioned, not meeting his gaze anymore. "I really do trust you, Hiei."

"I know," he assured, running his fingers through her long silver locks.

Asako sighed. "It's just… my body…"

Hiei frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I never gained back as much weight as I wanted to after having food withheld from me at Minato's, and the scarring is... extensive. And I feel like I'm still trying to figure out who I really am and how to be myself, let alone working on my confidence."

"Asako, you're strong. You'll get there," he comforted. She knew that he found her attractive, and that her scars wouldn't turn him away. Telling her again would do nothing to help her. Besides, her confidence shouldn't hang on what he thought of her, but what she thought of herself. "I'm glad to be beside you as you do."

"I'm glad, too," she replied softly. "I feel lucky that you're willing."

He was silent for a moment, contemplating if he wanted to voice his thoughts aloud. Such an admission was a vulnerable one, and that didn't sit with him well at all. But she had overcome hurdles far steeper than his own and shown him vulnerability; if she could afford him such a privilege, he would strive to return it. "You make me happy, and happiness isn't something I've felt much of in my life."

"I know," she said gently. It was a simple phrase of two meanings; she knew and understood very well that his life had been a difficult one from the very beginning. But she also knew firsthand the feeling of having a distinct lack of happiness in her life. Her observation that they both needed someone warped by the world's harshness had been astute. "You make me happy, too."

Even though he already knew, on some level, her words to be true, hearing her say so out loud had his chest tightening. He had never imagined a reality where he could make someone else happy just by being. Hiei didn't work for her, didn't fight for or with her, but was just traversing life with her. Yet somehow made her happy. Perhaps that was something he'd never quite understand.

* * *

"You have turned out an excellent batch of soldiers, Hiei. They will be a most successful company," Mukuro complimented. "You have earned a week off. Perhaps you can finish your training with the healer and dump the extra baggage, hm?"

"I don't consider her as such," he replied smoothly, tamping down the irritation rising in his chest at her insulting words. "My training is nearly complete, but I have no intention of parting ways with her."

"Oh?"

"I see her as a potential mate."

The two demons allowed silence to envelope them. Hiei knew that being direct was the best route, so he just bit the bullet and could only wait for her reaction.

"I suspected you were bedding her," Mukuro said casually. "I am somewhat surprised that you are more serious. Why did you keep this from me?"

Now for the hard part. "She is an ice maiden."

 _"What?"_

The response was a venomous hiss that had the fire demon internally flinching. Keeping a stoic expression on his face, he nodded. "She is an ice maiden."

"I overestimated you, Hiei," Mukuro sneered. "I thought you were strong and had worked your way through your past, but you are fraternizing – courting! – one of the creatures which caused you so much pain?!"

"She hasn't hurt me in any way," he answered simply.

"Those women rejected you for what you are; she is one of them!"

"She isn't the same as those women. She resents their actions and does not condone their way of life. She left the Glacial Village."

Mukuro just shook her head. "I don't believe that. I do believe you're being blinded by lust or something of the sort; those women ruined you."

He was immediately affronted by her words. There was no denying that he was rough around the edges, that he had a hard time feeling and communicating, but ruined? With narrowed crimson eyes, he retorted, "I am not blinded by lust; I have not lain with her."

This seemed to throw the red haired woman for a loop. "Then what is it, Hiei, because the demon I knew burned with hatred for the ice maidens, save his sister."

"She is an anomaly amongst her race. I need not explain myself to you any further than that. I am merely telling you that I am pursuing someone out of courtesy and respect for our friendship and our roles in Alaric."

The former Lord looked down her nose at him. "And if I demand to meet her?"

"Not when your frame of mind won't allow you to even consider accepting her."

"You know," she said slowly, "I just recalled a task that needs doing in the south. You're the only one I'd trust with it."

* * *

"I'm really sorry."

Hiei turned to look at the source of the small, melancholic voice. "You've nothing to apologize for, Asako."

Silver locks tumbled over her shoulders as she shook her head in disagreement. "If I hadn't insisted we make our relationship known… I should have trusted your judgment. You said it would be best to be secretive and I let my feelings get in the way."

He watched her for a moment before looking away, staring up at the stalactites hanging down from the top of the cave they had chosen as camp during this mission. It provided shelter not only from the rays of the dessert sun, but from the immense heat and brutal winds which whipped sand across the barren landscape. Hiei didn't mind the heat, but the sand was harsh on his skin being outside all day. Asako healed the irritation each night. She hardly left the cave due to the hot temperatures. The fire demon was sure that Mukuro had purposely sent them somewhere ill-suited for an ice maiden's constitution. He was equally sure she had given him this assignment knowing he would hate it. Normally, he had a more authoritative role in border patrol. This time, Mukuro had him actually dealing with the humans who wandered into Demon World directly. Day after day of herding up blundering humans, erasing their memories and sending them home. He couldn't wait for the month to be up and for the new squad of patrolmen to be assigned to the area.

"Don't apologize," he repeated. "Even I didn't foresee her vindictive response. But this will pass with her. Besides, it will be better that I can let others know I am pursuing you."

"If I wasn't an ice maiden, she wouldn't have given you a task like this one, though," Asako sighed. "And anyway, I doubt it benefits you if other men know you're courting me, given my people's reputation."

"Well, you're one for two. She did react badly because of what you are. However, it is of great benefit to get it out that I am courting you. An ice maiden will be seen as an incredibly rare and valuable mate."

"Really?" she asked, doe eyes shining with surprise.

Hiei nodded. "An ice maiden who takes a mate is exceptionally rare, and that is status in our world. Plus, they heal and produce the incredibly valuable hiruseki stones."

"I suppose I hadn't considered that. Demons do often mate for status and alliances…"

"Many mate for the desire to be tied together, though," he shrugged.

Asako contemplated this for a long moment. "Do you think that there are others that would pursue me because I'm an ice maiden?"

"Yes," he answered honestly. "And also because you're beautiful."

Asako flushed brilliantly at his words. "Hiei, don't say things like that!"

He rolled his crimson eyes. "It's true. Demon men will react to the way you look in addition to what you are. You're rare, valuable and attractive. That makes you a very desirable mate for any male demon. And if I was a lesser demon, others would pursue you. But since I am widely known from my participation in the Dark Tournament, the Demon World Tournament and my position as Mukuro's second, very few demons would be foolish enough to bother you."

The silver haired woman gazed at him blankly for a long while. Finally, he said, "Of course, if there comes a time when you do not have an interest in mating me, know I wouldn't force you to stay."

She blinked several times before saying, "I didn't mean to imply that. I was just taking it all in. I wouldn't have thought I'd make a valuable mate."

It took Hiei a few moments to read between the lines. Once he had, he gruffly clarified, "That isn't remotely a consideration in my pursuit. I never intended to take a mate, Asako. Don't worry that I'm courting you for status or to show off to other men."

Asako's lips slowly twitched upward into a small smile. "So you like me for me? Enough to keep all the sleaze balls away?"

He smirked. "Enough to make them fear even gandering."

She covered her upturned mouth and cleared her throat before inferring, "Well, at least it seems you feel the payoff for this awful assignment is worth it?"

"It is," he confirmed sincerely. After a pause, he amended, "You are."

* * *

A/N: Thank you for everyone who has returned to this story with me. It's been a bit of a lengthy hiatus, and I do apologize. I admittedly fell out of love with this story and had a lot going on in my personal life. Not a combination which yields uploads. I am going to really try to make a big editing push and get the rest of the chapters up pretty soon. Thank you for the reviews on the previous chapters, the favorites, follows, views, etc. I do appreciate them, despite having gone AWOL.


	14. Chapter 14

"I'm glad you're back."

"Splinter?"

"What?" Asako blinked in confusion.

Hiei smirked and teased, "Last time you said that, you had a splinter that needed taking care of."

She blushed faintly and shook her head in the negative. "No, I'm just really going stir crazy being alone in this cave all day. I tried going outside earlier, but it took so much energy to try and keep the heat at bay."

The fire demon leaned his sword up against the wall of the cave and placed a quick kiss on her lips. He then shed his cloak and sat on the ground and began attempting to soothe the skin of his hands with his energy, but it was slow, frustrating work. He bitterly thought that he really needed to master self-healing. Asako knelt in front of him and hovered her hands over each side of his face. Her cool, comforting energy flooded his senses and he could feel the irritation from the whipping, sandy winds disappearing.

When she finished, she lowered her hands to cup his face before leaning in for another kiss. Hiei tilted his head for a better angle, crimson eyes closing in contentment. They flew open, however, when he felt Asako's tongue timidly skim his lower lip. Smirking into the kiss, he allowed her entrance, using his own appendage to coax her into further action. Sitting as he was on the floor, Hiei contented himself with burying his fingers in her hair. He basked in the sensation of her soft locks gliding over his rough callouses. The ice maiden leaned in further, kissing him harder. Since she was kneeling before him, she braced her hands on his knees for balance. Her enthusiasm didn't go unappreciated.

Hiei was tempted to push things further, but opted not to push his luck. It was mildly shocking that Asako had initiated such a passionate kiss and he decided to take that success and enjoy it for all it was worth. He did, however, eventually change their position to a more intimate one. Hands anchored on her hips, he lay back on the ground, pulling her on top of him. She was surprised, he could tell, as her lips halted for a moment. Soon, she had recovered and resumed kissing. The position allowed her to feel comfortable and in charge, being on top. Plus, Hiei also didn't want her to be the one to lie on the ground. Meanwhile, he could enjoy the lack of space between their bodies.

The swordsman broke the kiss and moved to nibble her earlobe. Asako let out a satisfied sigh and said, "I feel much better now."

He paused in attending to her ear only long enough to reply, "Glad to be of service."

"Hiei?"

"Hn?" It was silent for such a long stretch that the fire demon pulled away and studied her face for any indication of what she was thinking. "Asako?"

"That…" Normally when the ice maiden blushed, it was only a faint pink which rose to her cheeks. This time, however, she flushed brilliantly across her face and chest. "That felt good."

Hiei could tell that she struggled to say that aloud. She came from a place that entirely lacked intimacy and in fact such a thing with a man was virtually unheard of. Sometimes, it surprised him that she was able to be with him at all given how her upbringing had so strongly framed such relations as taboo. It was only a few words, but her admission was intimate and left her vulnerable. He tucked her hair behind her ear before resting a hand on her cheek. His thumb swept back and forth across her skin affectionately.

"I'm glad," he said simply.

"I know I'm not experienced at this sort of thing, but-"

"I can't foresee tiring of kissing you." Sapphire eyes held crimson for a stretch. Hiei watched surprise morph into confusion. Sensing the question she was working over in her head, he continued, "The most enjoyable kisses I've had have been with you. Don't worry so much."

"It's hard. This is all new to me and I know it's not to you."

Hiei frowned. He was torn; could he actually manage to speak the truth that would reassure her? He figured he should try, given her honesty, and forced himself to explain, "Kissing someone I care for is new, and experientially different than things of my past."

Asako looked away, her blush still burning on her face. She laid her head against his chest as she was still perched on top of him, effectively avoiding eye contact. Hiei was grateful, as it made the interaction less awkward for him as well. "Thanks for your honesty, Hiei. I know you push yourself for my benefit."

"Well, as much of a shock as it is, I'm somehow the more emotionally available person of the two of us," he said, only half joking.

"What a mess we are," she smiled into his shoulder.

* * *

Asako hadn't quite been herself in the last week and a half of the mission in southern Alaric. She often seemed lost in her own world and was less affectionate toward him. Hiei found himself wondering about her odd behavior during his days escorting humans back to the Ningenkai. There were two possible explanations for the change, as far as he could figure. One was that the heat and resulting lonely, idle days were getting to her. The other was that something about their heated kissing had upset her. Whether it was something he said or did or the increased intimacy of it, he couldn't guess. He hoped the latter explanation wasn't accurate; progression in their physical relationship had felt good in more ways than one.

He decided to step out of his comfort zone to encourage her to cheer up. When he arrived back at the cave for the night, he would kiss her in greeting. When she worked on extracting the oils from the desert plants he brought her for her balms, he would sit nearby rather than across the cave sharpening his sword. When they settled down to sleep, he would kiss her forehead and push her hair out of her face. Nothing seemed to work, though.

"Goodnight, Hiei," she yawned, turning so her back was facing him.

"Night," he replied absently. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into him, nuzzling his nose in her hair. He was reaching the limit of his ability to be openly affectionate; it was a lot easier when she instigated things between them.

They lay for several minutes before Asako spoke up, "Hiei, it's really hot with you so close."

The fire demon immediately felt the hot sting of rejection. He let go of her and moved to the edge of the makeshift mattress, facing away from her. Hiei knew her words held no ill will, but they had left him hurt and embarrassed. For most people, cuddling their woman was natural; for him, it was really putting himself out there. He wasn't an open, affectionate person – life hadn't allowed him the luxury of becoming one – but he had tried.

Asako turned toward him and slid closer, her hand tentatively threading through his hair. "It's not that I don't want to sleep with you like that. Between the heat of this desert and your high natural body heat, my body just can't take it."

"Makes sense," he said, trying to cover up his irrational hurt.

He wasn't sure if he had failed or if she just knew him too well, because she replied, "I don't mean to upset you."

"What's been wrong with you lately?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"You haven't been yourself."

The ice maiden sighed. "Part of it has been the heat and unyielding boredom of this cave. But I've had a lot on my mind."

"Like?" She hesitated long enough that he assumed the worst. "Did what happened the other day upset you?"

"What happened the other…?"

"The kissing."

"Oh! No, no, no!" she replied emphatically. Hiei turned so they were facing each other again and noted the honesty in her eyes. "The other day was great."

"You changed afterwards," he accused,

"Coincidence, I swear," she lamented. "I was really happy the other day. I felt like I got over one of my biggest hang-ups and like we took a step forward. Truly, I enjoy being close to you."

He had to break eye contact; heat threatened to rise to his cheeks. "Agreed."

"I've been thinking a lot since we got here, and I realized something. I've been nervous to talk to you about it, though," she said, her tone serious. Stealing herself, she said, "I'm ready to return to the Glacial Village."

Crimson eyes widened and blinked at her in surprise. "What?"

"It's time I return. I think that-"

"You want to go back?" His eyebrow twitched angrily. "As soon as I tell Mukuro about you?"

"What does that have to do-?"

He interrupted her again, seething, "Because if I hadn't told her, I'd still be in her good graces while you go running back to those women who fucked us both over!"

Asako looked at him, sapphire eyes wide. "No, that's not-"

"This is fucking perfect," he growled. "Why I thought-"

She interrupted him this time, a hand gently cupping his cheek silencing him. "Hear me out, Hiei. We're having a miscommunication. I don't want to leave you to go back to the Ice Domain. Actually, I was hoping you'd come with me."

He opened his mouth to bark something rude and fueled by his anger, but she implored him with her eyes to continue listening. His expression settled back into a disgusted scowl as she continued, "There is so much wrong with the ice maidens and their way of life. After everything that has happened to me – to you – I had given up on them. Yukina said something to me before we left Genkai's, though. She believes I could bring about the change our people need. I'll admit I wrote her off immediately, but since we've been here, I've found myself thinking about it more. What if… what if she's right?"

Sensing it was permissible for him to speak, Hiei said, "Those women are pathetic and set in their ways."

"But are they all? I've had my eyes opened to other ways of living. Yukina is different. Ree is different. Your mother…" Hiei tensed and Asako continued gently, "Hina was different. There are ice maidens who will never come around to change, and that is okay. But if I can help most of them see the benefits of change and new values are instilled in our posterity... we will eventually be a changed race."

"And if you fail?"

"Then at least I tried. I will leave rather than spend the rest of my life there."

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you," he advised derisively. "I want nothing to do with that place or those godforsaken women."

Asako looked downcast. "I thought that would be your reaction. You don't think I could make a difference?"

"I don't think anyone could make a difference."

He watched her lower lip pout slightly. "I just… considering my place of power, I'm in the best position to try. I don't want my people to continue on this way, isolating themselves, turning their children into unfeeling shells like me… I need to know if I can use my power and my knowledge to prevent anyone else being turned into what I am. I want my people to live their lives. I want there to be a home to return to for apparitions like Yukina and I who have found happiness with a man."

Pink dusted her cheeks and she looked up at him, hurt brimming her doe eyes. Hiei felt his anger rapidly vanishing. "I know it's selfish to ask you to wait for me to do my work there. It's also selfish to ask you to come with me. But the alternative is the end this, and I don't want that. But this is something I have to do."

Hiei studied her face for a long time, thinking over her words. Could he return to a place he hated, had vowed never to step foot in again, for her sake? Could he go on with his life without her? "I'm unwilling to terminate my service to Mukuro just yet. It is too advantageous."

There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "What if I can convince her to give you some time off duty?"

Hiei almost laughed. "That's quite the undertaking, Asako. I'd be of no value to you in your work; there would be no payoff for your efforts with Mukuro."

"Not true," she shook her head. Shyly, she admitted, "Your support has already helped me immensely in dealing with my past and what happened to me under Minato. It would be a great comfort and help just having you with me in my return to the Glacial Village."

His chest tightened at her words. He didn't think, given his volatile personality and dark history, that he would ever be to someone what she was describing. "If – and that's a colossal if – you can convince Mukuro, I will accompany you. I can't guarantee how long I will stay, though."

"I understand," she said, a smile turning her lips. "Thank you so much, Hiei. I feel really lucky."

* * *

"Your mission report has been received," Mukuro said evenly. "You need only meet with the advisors for an oral report."

"Fine. When?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"I will be there," Hiei nodded. He then pointedly glanced at Asako, who stood beside him. "Mukuro, this is Asako. Asako, Mukuro."

"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Mukuro," the ice maiden greeted politely.

"Hiei, what is an ice maiden doing in my chambers?" the orange haired woman asked, ignoring the other woman completely.

"She wishes to speak with you."

"I do not wish to speak with her."

"I assure you, Lord Mukuro, you will benefit from the proposition I have to make."

"Doubtful."

"If I do not interest you, I shall take my proposal to Lord Yomi of Gandara or Lord Yusuke of Tourin. I assure you, they will be more than willing and ready to reap the benefits of my offer."

Hiei had a hard time maintaining his stoic front; the way Asako was speaking to Mukuro was certainly not something he had expected.

"And what could you possibly have to offer me?" Mukuro raised a brow. "And in exchange for what?"

"I can offer the Glacial Village as a territory of Alaric once I take my seat as leader of the ice maidens in exchange for Hiei's company in my work there."

"You're next in line to lead the Glacial Village?" Mukuro asked, though her eyes were fixed on Hiei. He could only imagine her thoughts on his courting an ice maiden of Asako's lineage and position.

"I am," she confirmed. "And surely you see the value in adding my home to your territory?"

"I don't," the former Lord replied coolly. "I am merely a territory ruler, not the Demon King. Any advantages you see your village having only benefit the reigning King."

"Not true," Asako shook her head. "A unified Makai means that the fight for resources has become political rather than the right of the fittest. I offer you a village of people to boost the population of Alaric, thus earning your territory a boost in funding. However, we are self-sufficient and will not need to see any of that funding, leaving it entirely at your disposal. Additionally, we are a people of longevity and unique procreation; our numbers are great and continue to grow exponentially. Our population will continually benefit you."

Hiei was now in near shock. Although her emotionless manner of speaking was nothing new, he had no idea Asako was so fluent in politics. Mukuro seemed to be taking her seriously now, contemplating the offer.

"However, since you are uninterested, I am confident Lord Yomi or Lord Yusuke would like to reap the benefits of a village with our capabilities for growth into their populations. Of course, the funding for their jump in population may mean funneling funds from other programs, but that's how things go, hm?"

"And all you desire in exchange is Hiei's temporary freedom from my service in return?" asked Mukuro.

"Yes," Asako nodded. "I also hope this will open us up to future agreements, but I will not make that a stipulation of the present arrangement."

"And when will this happen? You taking leadership and aligning your land with Alaric territory, that is."

"I cannot be certain of a date; my ascension hinges on the passing of the present council head. However, she is in the last years of her life."

"Hiei now for benefits later?" the older demon asked skeptically.

"Hiei now for future benefits and the prevention of losing those benefits to another leader."

It took a full minute, but Mukuro nodded. "Agreed." She turned back to Hiei. "I expect you to remain in touch and available in cases of emergency."

He nodded, now also amazed that Asako had convinced Mukuro to accept her deal. He managed to retain his composure and announced, "If that's all, we're retiring to my quarters. I will attend the meeting in the morning before departing."

Mukuro nodded her consent, and the couple left her chambers. Leading the way to the suite he lived in within the massive beetle, Hiei couldn't help but mention, "That was surprising."

"I figured she'd see the logic and agree," Asako shrugged nonchalantly.

"Not just that," he shook his head. "I meant you."

"Oh." She blinked for a moment then asked, "Did you think I had no training in such things? I was raised to lead an entire race of apparitions, Hiei. They did more than empty me of feeling."

Hiei fell silent, reflecting on how much there still was to learn about her.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for your continued interest in this story. I really appreciate it!


	15. Chapter 15

"Asako?!"

The silver haired woman nodded. "Hello, Kana."

"But you were-? How-? Oh!" The other ice maiden's words tumbled over each other before her eyes landed on Hiei and she froze.

"I will explain, but I must speak with the council immediately."

Kana nodded numbly, staring at the fire apparition with uncontained surprise and fear. Hiei found it hard to ignore, his temper already being tested. He followed Asako deeper into the heart of the Glacial Village. Women froze and gazed at him fearfully the entire way, whispering amongst themselves after he passed. Asako glanced at him over her shoulder, apology shining in her sapphire eyes. Eventually, they stopped outside a building at the heart of town. Asako took a breath and slid the door open, stepping inside.

"Asako, wha-?" Thirteen pairs of eyes trained on them as they entered a meeting room. The women represented a variety of ages, Hiei noted, and their reactions seemed dependent on which age group they fell into. The youngest women looked at him in fear, the middle aged women with a mixture of fear and surprise, and the elderly with contempt and anger.

"Why have you brought a man here?" demanded what appeared to be the oldest ice maiden. "By coercion, by your own volition? Either answer is detestable."

"Thank you for your warm welcome home," Asako replied coldly. "Please, let's sit."

The women exchanged glances before the younger ones took their seats. The rest of the council warily followed suit and Asako took her place at one end of the table. Hiei stood behind her, leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest.

"My Lady," one of the younger women spoke up. Hiei was surprised at the formality. "I too must wonder… coercion or volition?"

"Volition," Asako answered simply. "That is secondary to what we must discuss, however. You all know of my capture?"

"Indeed. Tell me, have we cause to fear more of our women being taken?" asked one of the older apparitions.

"No," Asako shook her head. "I gave them no stones and people hired by the Reikai eliminated the threat of the crime ring behind my abduction."

"Good. You played your part well, then."

Hiei's brow twitched. They didn't care what Asako had been through, only that she withstood it. He knew that he had to keep his cool, lest he risk ruining Asako's plans.

"Yes, and I have finally returned," Asako allowed. "Although I am open to further inquiry regarding my capture, I think it inefficient to waste our time on a threat that is no more."

"Do we owe any debts to the Reikai?" asked one of the elders.

"No," she answered.

"Then inefficient further discussion would be."

The silver haired woman nodded and said, "I think it most prudent to discuss my transition into the head council position now that I have come back to the village."

"Asako," spoke the oldest woman coldly. "What is most prudent is explaining why you have violated our most sacred rule and risked us all by bringing a man here."

Hiei's upper lip curled in distaste, but he held his tongue. He knew this meeting would be the greatest test to his patience he had faced in an incredibly long time.

Asako sat tall in her seat and spoke firmly, tone commanding respect. "Do any of you really think I would bring a dangerous person here?" Nobody spoke, so she continued, "Although it is unprecedented, I insist on following through on this decision."

"But, My Lady," one of the younger women began nervously. "It's not allowed, is it?"

"It's a grey area," she answered evenly. "Men are historically banned from the Glacial Village, which only welcomes ice apparitions. He is male, but he descends from the ice apparitions. I interpret this rule as allowing for his presence here. Our isolation is upheld under the premise of protecting our blood; that blood we all strive to protect runs through his veins."

"You don't mean…?" breathed a middle aged maiden. The women broke into hushed whispers amongst themselves, and Hiei was sure he heard his mother's name.

"I will not allow it," snapped the oldest woman.

"Your reasoning?" Asako demanded coolly, not flinching at the quick refusal.

"We do _not_ allow men here. No exceptions. They will ruin us. Your foolishness is immense and lends the impression that you are wholly unfit to take my place. Idiot girl," the elderly maiden sneered.

Hiei stood straighter, unable to stand completely idle as the woman insulted Asako. The silver haired apparition remained calm and firm. "Again, I must ask whether you think I would bring a dangerous person here?"

"Evidence points to the affirmative."

Sapphire eyes roamed around the table. "And what do you all think? Is my judgment so lacking as she implies? Do you think that I, who have just endured over three years of torture to protect our people, would then bring someone here who would end us?"

The younger women looked thoughtful, the middle-aged women conflicted and the elders angry. One of the younger council women spoke up, "Our Lady would not endanger us; she has lived her entire life taking the necessary steps to become our leader and protect us. Already, she has gone through greater trials than any of us on this council."

Slowly, the rest of the younger women nodded their agreement. One of the elder's snapped, "You are all too young to remember the horrors men inflict on women."

"Regardless of the fact that they are not all heinous, this is truly a grey area in our rules. We must decide whether our blood is what binds us or if it's our insistence on isolation for the sake of isolation. Our beloved Hina – our _sister_ – lives on through him. He saved me from my torturers. He is one of us, and I trust him. I implore you all to consider accepting your common blood."

Hiei admitted even he was touched by her words. It was hard to argue with her calls to protect their own, their family, as their duty to their blood, their late sister, and for aiding their future leader.

The middle-aged women spoke amongst themselves briefly before one declared, "We should move forward with this man's presence on a trial basis. We owe it to him for bringing back Our Lady, if nothing else. And this is a test of Our Lady's judgment and decision making as well."

With the elders now outnumbered, they were in a tougher position. Hiei had a feeling that the present leader could assert her will and give the final say, but that would run the risk of inciting discontent among the entire council. Finally, the leader of the village said, "You can stay in the outskirts of the village."

Hiei's anger flared again; it was hardly acceptance to banish him to the edges of the civilization. However, he supposed if he was able to stay near Asako, he should take the win.

"Where?" Asako asked.

"He can stay in the cottage you used during your training."

Hiei sensed Asako tense up more than he saw any indication that the elder's words had affected her. In an unchanged tone, she replied, "Fine. I will stop by my home to collect my things before heading to the cabin."

"The Young Lady intends to live with-?" one of the council women asked, eyes widening in horror.

"I shall endure no further questioning on the matter," Asako replied with finality. "My sisters, none of this is as consequential as discussing the transition of leadership we all know is coming. Before I was captured, we had begun the process. Shall we discuss continuing forward?"

"In the morning," the leader said with same finality.

The two women held each other's gaze, neither willing to give in. Finally, surely to diffuse the tension, one of the younger women said, "My Lady, I will accompany you. Surely you will benefit from an extra set of hands in moving your things and cleaning up the cottage."

"Thank you, Hisoka. I would appreciate that." Turning back to the rest of the women, she said, "We will reconvene in the morning. I trust the rest of you will make the village aware of Hiei's presence. I'd rather avoid confusing the other ice maidens or any further conflict."

"He will not have free reign here," one of the elders protested.

Asako stood and glared darkly. "I said I'd rather avoid further conflict, and I do mean amongst us as well."

"We wouldn't really be testing Our Lady's decision if we were essentially imprisoning the man," another council woman pointed out.

Hiei was growing quite tired of being spoken of as if he was the scum beneath their shoes or like he wasn't there at all. The elders continued to argue, however.

"Council!" Asako called sharply, demanding order. "I had hoped it would not come to this sort of conflict, but I seem to have overestimated your ability to get along and to remain open-minded and trusting in your future leader. If you cannot concede to this request, I find our future outlook to be utterly abysmal and I will have no part in it."

"Are you saying you will leave if this man cannot roam our lands?" inquired an elder, sounding affronted.

"Essentially, yes. However, the deeper reason is that I shall not lead a people who do not trust in me, despite all I have done for them. The abuse I have endured by your hands and by the hands of others has all been to keep my people safe. I returned home with a man of our blood and the request that you trust my judgement, and you want to segregate him, keep him under lock and key. I will not tolerate it. You say this is a test, but you won't let me take it. My life could be better spent elsewhere. And then what will you do? Who will lead? Nobody else can be prepared as well as I in time."

The elders exchanged glances amongst themselves and with the expectant, on-looking council. Finally, the oldest said, "The man may roam as he pleases. Should anything at all happen, you shall be punished to the full severity our people are capable of."

"Agreed." Asako turned to look at a younger woman with green eyes. "Hisoka, does your offer still stand?"

"Ah, yes, My Lady!" the woman replied with a startled jump.

"Excellent. I'd like to go promptly. This meeting is adjourned."

* * *

Hiei followed behind the two ice maidens, thinking over all that had just happened in his head. He knew Asako was intelligent and that she spoke with evenness and apathy, but she had just proven herself to be brilliant, a truly effective leader in the making. Her level-headedness sometimes frustrated him, but it was clearly something imparted to her as the someday leader of her people. She had gotten the cold-hearted, isolationist women of the Glacial Village to allow him to stay in their territory, and she had only used words.

Though lost in thought, the fire demon did note that Hisoka seemed wary of him despite her and her peers' willingness to give him a chance. He didn't care and tried not to take too much notice. The trio stopped at a house nearby, apparently Asako's former home. She gathered some of her belongings and began the trek toward the outskirts.

Hiei sat on the window sill of the main living space in the cabin Asako had led him to. She and Hisoka had been cleaning for an hour, making occasional small talk. He would have helped, but moving around seemed to make the green eyed apparition uneasy. Asako had nudged him in the direction of the window, so he had settled there to wait out the other woman's presence. Luckily, the cottage was quite small, containing only three rooms. The women had already cleaned up the bedroom and bathroom and had made good progress on the main area which housed the kitchen and seating area. It was as they were doing the dishes that Hisoka caught Hiei's attention.

"Are you sure you're alright staying here, Asako?"

"Of course," she replied stiffly.

"You… haven't been here in years," the other woman continued nervously.

"Yes, I know. Don't worry, Hisoka."

The green eyed ice maiden dried a few more dishes before pressing, "It's hard not to worry. You've just returned to us, and you've sacrificed much for our people; we respect and trust you, and we want what's best for you."

"I appreciate your sentiment," Asako said in a slightly softer tone. "I hope the others feel similarly, as it is you and the older women who will soon serve as my council."

Hisoka nodded. "We do, and many of our women who have served on the council for some time agree. The elders appreciate you, too, but see your youth as a detriment. It makes sense, considering the wisdom that comes at their age."

"Wisdom can only come to those with minds open enough to accept it."

Green eyes widened for a moment before Hisoka turned away in thought. Finally, she said, "You mean how they were so resistant to…" She trailed off, glancing at Hiei.

"Yes," Asako nodded.

"Why…" Hisoka trailed off, looking over her shoulder at Hiei again. She didn't finish her question.

The silver haired demon reassured, "You need not hold your tongue around Hiei. He is trustworthy."

In a hushed voice, Hisoka asked, "Why did you fight so hard for him to be allowed to stay here? And why are you willing to come back and stay here, _here_ of all places, with him?"

Asako paused in her task to look at the other woman for a moment. Slowly, she asked, "Why do you think?"

"Protection comes to mind first," she replied. "But that would surprise me. You wouldn't seek out a man to be dependent on. And you've never seemed like a pleasure seeker…"

Hiei nearly blushed at the implication that Asako kept his company as some sort of sex minion. Scowling, he turned to look out the window more fully, though he wasn't really seeing the snowy landscape.

Suddenly, Hisoka gasped. In a fearful hiss, she asked, "Asako, are you courting?!" The fire demon watched Asako's reflection in the mirror nod. Hisoka breathed, "But that's-!"

"Forbidden? Not explicitly. Men are forbidden here, but our relations with them are not. Frowned upon, obviously, but not forbidden."

"Asako, why are you doing this now, right as your transition into power is getting under way?"

She answered, "I didn't plan on this happening; this isn't a strategic move. I met Hiei and I grew to care for him greatly. He makes me happy. And I'm glad to have found out firsthand what this sort of relationship can add to life as I prepare to lead our people."

Another blush on Hiei's part was stamped down as Hisoka breathed, "What do you mean?"

"I mean our traditions deny us of many things which could improve our quality of life."

"But-!"

"I have much to tell you all," Asako effectively cut her off. "Most of the women in the village have never left here; I have now, and I have travelled a bit within the Makai and Ningenkai. Knowledge is power and we have all been denied knowledge for too long. I seek to rectify that."

Hiei could tell from Hisoka's posture and expression that the apparition was torn between ingrained fear and curiosity. They finished cleaning soon after, and the other woman politely took her leave. Asako announced she was going to bathe, and he nodded, lost in all the day had left him to mull over.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for the continued support. Reviews, follows, favorites, etc. are all appreciated.


	16. Chapter 16

Crimson eyes followed Asako's thin form as she strode into the bedroom, hair wet from the shower. A thick oversized sweater hung halfway down her thighs, revealing bare, slender legs. She sat before him on the bed, raising a towel to her hair.

"Thank you for coming here with me," she said earnestly. "I know I've asked more than I really deserve of you."

He watched her dry her hair for a while, not saying anything. When she set the towel down, he pulled her into his arms as he laid back into the pillows. She settled against him and he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "I have your back."

"Thank you," she repeated softly, brushing her lips along his jaw.

"I have some questions."

"I assumed as much."

"The elders speak down to you. Why is that?"

The silver haired woman sighed. "They are very much stuck in their ways. They think they know what is best and that their say should be absolute. I challenged them in basically the biggest way possible today."

"And the others?"

"They have more respect because of the training I was put through. Even many of the middle aged women aren't so set in the way of life here to not appreciate that fact."

He frowned at her words. "I have to wonder more and more what this training you went through was that people respect and feel indebted to you for going through it. And Hisoka seemed wary of you being back here, where you stayed during the training."

Sapphire eyes fell from his. "This place holds nothing but bad memories. Suffice to say that the reason I could endure Minato's torture is because there was nothing they did that was new to me. The only upside to being tortured here was that there was always someone to heal me before anything scarred. Plus, back then I thought it was all for a greater purpose."

Hiei was silent for another moment. Finally, he asked, "Are you okay staying here?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I don't need to be here for my demons to haunt me." She looked up at him once more and asked, "Surely you understand that? Unless you are only pained when you are here in this village, or course."

"I understand," he replied simply. They lay in comfortable silence for a time, enjoying the company of one another. Hiei threaded his fingers through her semi-dry hair, enjoying the soft texture. Eventually, he spoke up again and admitted, "I don't like the way the oldest woman speaks to you."

"It's always been that way."

"I had always assumed that they were kind amongst their own – that it was just men, or me the Forbidden Child, that they spoke of like that."

Asako merely shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me." He struggled to find the words he needed for a moment, then pressed on awkwardly, "It makes me angry when they say things about me, but I can expect and accept that. I can do neither when it comes to you."

"I understand," she said, picking up on what he was trying to say easily. "You won't have to come with me to anymore meetings. I will ask that you only come into the village when I'm with you, at least for a little bit, even though you are allowed. I want the other ice maidens to associate you with me first."

"That's fine. You can distract me from their gawking," he muttered bitterly.

"I am truly sorry, Hiei," she lamented. "I can't thank you enough for coming here."

He sighed in frustration with himself. "I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. I would do much worse for you."

Asako's lips turned up in a small smile and she pressed the back of her hand to her mouth. She cleared her throat then lowered her hand, though her smile remained. "I think that's probably the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."

Pink bloomed on his cheeks, but he pretended that wasn't the case. He replied curtly, "It was no such thing."

"Of course not," she said, but her smile had yet to fade.

* * *

Hiei stayed behind in the cottage the next morning as Asako headed to another meeting with the council. It felt odd, being the one on the receiving end of a goodbye kiss. They had spoken briefly, and he had hinted that he was curious as to what would be said at the meeting. To which she had made the snarky response of, "If only you had some sort of eye which granted you the power of remote-viewing." He thought that was pretty clear permission to check in with his Jagan eye.

Nothing especially interesting was said for a while as the women held true to their agreement to discuss Asako's transition into the head council position. He actually got bored and decided to meditate for a while. When he checked back in, conversation was still bland. He didn't care about the particularities of their politics. It was Asako's business, not his. Politics had never been his forte, after all.

Nothing of interest happened, ignoring rude comments thrown Asako's way by the elders. By the time she returned to the cottage, Hiei was bored out of his mind.

"There is a mountain nearby," Asako mentioned as they made their way toward the center of the village. "I was granted permission on your behalf to train out there."

"Thank you," he said, somewhat surprised that she had gone out of her way for him when her own plate was already so full.

She waved it off easily and they made their way to a market. Hiei followed Asako idly, every so often seeing a food item that caught his eye and adding it to the basket in her hands. It was difficult to ignore all of the stares he was receiving, and all the apparitions who avoided walking too near him. He knew Asako noticed, too, but the only change in her behavior was that she walked perhaps a bit closer to him than usual.

As they left the shop and Asako was tucking her small purse back into the folds of her pale blue kimono (she looked so strange wearing one, but he supposed as the future leader, she had to wear the traditional clothing) Hiei asked, "I've been wondering; where did that money come from?"

"The Reikai," she answered. "Apparently they're kind enough not to release the people they detain for months without any funds. And I think that Koenma caught on that I knew they just hadn't prioritized shutting down Minato's gang and freeing me, despite their actions to do just that with Tarukine. Guilt money is still money."

"We're not in Alaric anymore," Hiei frowned. "There, money is no object for me. To procure items we will need-"

"Council women are paid. I am no exception."

"Good. I admittedly hadn't thought to ask before we came here."

Asako looked at him for a moment. "Not miffed that I'm suddenly the bread-winner?"

Crimson eyes rolled in annoyance. "That would be stupid."

A small smile lifted her lips. "Good. I agree."

"Pardon my intrusion, My Lady," a voice interrupted them. The couple turned to see another young ice maiden, though Hiei didn't recognize her as a member of the council.

"Hello, Mana. I hope you and your daughter are well?"

"Yes, thank you," the other woman replied. "I wanted to express the relief of myself and the other shop owners on my street for your safe return home."

"Thank you, that is very kind," replied Asako politely.

"I must admit, it is a surprise that you have returned with company," Mana said, eyeing Hiei curiously.

"Yes, how very rude of me. Mana, this is Hiei. He is the second of the former Lord Mukuro of Alaric and also works for Prince Koenma of the Reikai. Hiei, this is Mana. She runs the bookstore down that way."

Mana bowed slightly and Hiei stiffly tilted his head in return. She said, "A pleasure. Anyone who has contributed to bringing Our Lady home safely must be of good character. We know that she is of great value in the world beneath us, yet you have returned her unharmed. I extend my gratitude to you."

Hiei fought hard to keep the embarrassment and surprise off his face. "It was my job."

"And yet you stay with her," Mana said thoughtfully. She paused, then said, "Regardless, it was nice to meet your acquaintance. I trust Our Lady's judgment, so you are welcome in my shop should you ever find yourself in need of a book, stationary, or are simply bored. But I must get back now. Again, I am so relieved you have returned, My Lady."

"Take care, Mana."

They continued walking around the village and Hiei finally recovered enough to say, "That was a surprise."

"I assumed Mana would be one of the most accepting villagers. She has always been one of the more forward thinkers here. I think it comes from having read as much as she has. Her daughter is something, a real ball of energy. You'll likely meet her if you ever take her up on her offer to go to her shop." Hiei gave her a skeptical look and Asako said, "Don't write it off. One friendly face and a comfortable space is invaluable in this village."

"I suppose. Are we heading back to the cottage soon?"

"Yes, I think I've paraded you around enough for today."

"Is that what we're doing?" he asked, lifting a brow.

Asako shot him a look like it should have been obvious. "I'm going to force them to see that men are not the harbingers of ruin."

"You know," Hiei said in a would-be casual way. "I've known for quite some time that you are strong, but you just keep proving your strength. There is truly nobody else like you, Asako."

Pale pink tinted her cheeks at that.

* * *

To his surprise, Hiei did find himself in Mana's bookshop two weeks later. He hadn't meant for it to happen; he had tired of training and had decided to roam the village. He had been walking aimlessly, ignoring the stares he still received, when he noticed he was passing by a book shop. On impulse, he walked in.

"Ah, Hiei, right?" the friendly ice maiden greeted him right away.

There were a few other women in the shop who looked at him warily, then at Mana in confusion. He simply grunted a greeting and made to duck into a row of shelves, but Mana had already crossed the room and approached him.

"Please, could I interest you in some tea?"

"No, thank you," he replied awkwardly.

"Ah, don't tell me my hospitality is being rejected, hm? How do you take it, black, green, sugar, milk?"

"Black with sugar," he answered reluctantly.

He followed the kind woman with hazel eyes to a small seating area in the back of the shop. The two women who were already there made to get up, but Mana cut them off, saying, "Oh come now, there's plenty of room for all of us here. And I did just pour you both your tea. I hope it's to your liking and you weren't rushing out to avoid drinking it?"

Hiei had to admit that he was quickly growing to like this woman. The two other apparitions made hurried, half-hearted protests before sitting once more. Mana gestured for Hiei to take a seat on the couch opposite them, which he did. The three sat in tense silence until Mana returned, handing him a cup of tea. He lifted it to his lips immediately, desperate for something to do with his hands.

"I'm glad you stopped by," Mana said. She surprised him by taking the seat next to him on the couch. "I was beginning to think you were snubbing my invitation."

"I… wasn't sure how welcome I was in the village," he answered carefully.

"Understandable. It was just recently Our Lady stopped accompanying you around here all the time, right? Well, it's for the best that things are calm enough that you can wander as you please. She's been quite busy since her return."

"That's true; she always seems to be rushing somewhere, or stopping to talk with people," one of the other women finally spoke up.

Mana hummed thoughtfully and turned to Hiei. "You must hardy see her, even though you're both staying in that cottage, hm?"

The other apparition broke her silence, asking, "Our Lady is staying out there with you?"

Hiei merely nodded.

"Come on, Saki, what did you think?" Mana asked with an eye roll.

Saki's pale green eyes fell to her lap as she replied, "I didn't think Our Lady would be residing with a man."

"You think she just brought a man here, risking her title and being ostracized, to not reside with him?"

"Are you implying…?"

"She must be, Ume, but surely…"

"One way to settle this," Mana announced. She turned to Hiei, who was truly regretting ever stepping foot in the bookstore, and asked, "Are you courting Our Lady?"

Hiei grimaced uncomfortably. He knew Asako had been telling people who asked, so he assumed he should do the same. "Yes."

Saki and Ume gasped before each struggled to rearrange their horrified expressions back to neutral ones.

"I thought as much. It only makes sense. She wouldn't risk so much for a random man," Mana nodded. "The elders mustn't know yet?"

"Not that I'm aware of," he answered. "She isn't trying to hide it, though."

"Oh, perhaps not from the villagers," Mana said. "But certainly from the elders until she can gain enough support that they cannot punish her for fear of upsetting the rest of the ice maidens."

"Punish? I thought it wasn't an explicit rule that women here cannot court men?" he asked, interest and concern piqued.

Mana sighed sadly and explained, "That's true, but Asako has never been lucky enough to live under the same rules as the rest of us. The elders have never needed an explicit rule to punish her."

Hiei took a sip of tea to help calm his temper, but he couldn't help but angrily set the cup back down on the table. Saki and Ume jumped slightly, but he couldn't find it in him to care.

"All the same, her plan seems to be turning out nicely."

"Plan?" Saki and Ume chorused.

"It's clear she is trying to open up our people's minds and hearts to the ways of life down below. Surely by now you've heard what she endured in the Ningenkai and how four men were the ones that defeated her captors and helped her recover her health?"

"Ah, yes. One of those four was you, right?" asked Ume.

Hiei nodded. "The Reikai's former Spirit Detective and current leader of Tourin, Yusuke, is a comrade of mine. He and his friend, a human psychic named Kuwabara, along with a fox demon, Kurama, and I have worked together for nearly six years now. We were charged with that task."

"I hope you're not taking advantage of Our Lady's gratitude or something," Saki accused.

"I assure you, that is not the case. In fact, we hated each other for the first month and a half of our acquaintance."

Mana chuckled lightly, proving she truly was one of the most progressive women on the floating iceberg. Ume and Saki looked uncomfortable at her open show of amusement for a moment before Ume continued, "She has also told us that she reconnected with Yukina in the Ningenkai. She said that she, too, has found companionship with a man. Did… did she mean that Yukina is also courting?"

Hiei's lip curled in displeasure, but he answered, "Not exactly. It is the human psychic I mentioned earlier who is interested in her. She is mostly unaware of how deep his feelings are, but it seems a matter of time."

"Wow," Saki breathed.

"We've never heard of any man treating an ice maiden well, yet Our Lady claims Yukina is cherished by one and we see that you clearly care for her," Mana mused. "Food for thought, hm?"

"Yes, it makes me wonder," Ume admitted.

"Then see? It's just as I said. Our Lady's plan is already falling into place."

* * *

A/N: Thanks again for the support and interest in this story. I do truly appreciate it.


	17. Chapter 17

Three months passed since Hiei's first trip to Mana's book shop, making it about four months total of living in the Glacial Village. Although he still got stares in the village, they were definitely fewer and briefer for the most part. Many of the apparitions seemed to have accepted his presence as normal, in fact. As was expected, there were some who still reacted to him with fear and probably always would, but he was admittedly surprised at the overall change his presence had inspired. Of course, Asako's continuous work was largely to thank. She continued rekindling relationships with the villagers and explaining her experiences to them in between negotiations, meetings, and trainings with the council. He hardly saw her. Perhaps it was that fact which led him to return to the book shop at least once a week.

He met several women there, and most had grown to even be friendly towards him. They talked a lot more than he did, but it was nice to have some contact with other people rather than to train by himself in the mountains every day. He had truly grown accustomed to being around others at least some of the time, it would seem. Besides, he knew it would help Asako to make nice with some of the ice maidens; surely they would vouch for his character in conversations with other women.

"You look troubled today, Hiei," Mana observed, handing him a cup of tea.

"Isn't this how my face looks every day?" he asked coolly.

"Yes, but something is off about you," Ume agreed.

Hiei rolled his eyes and took a sip of his tea in lieu of responding. Michi, another woman he had come to know, added her two cents, "Does it have anything to do with your bi-weekly correspondence with Lord Mukuro? That was today, wasn't it?"

The millisecond of hesitation before he opened his mouth to reply was enough for Mana to assert, "Ah, Michi hit the nail on the head."

"Get some bad news?" Michi asked, steel eyes showing a bit of concern.

"No," he answered honestly. "Nothing bad."

"Something… you don't want to tell Our Lady, though?" Ume pressed.

The fire demon sighed. The women rarely annoyed him with such talk, and on the rare occasion they did, he didn't indulge them. However, perhaps their council would be advantageous. "Yes, you could say that."

"What do you have to be hesitant about if the news wasn't bad?"

"My absence in Alaric has come to the attention of my comrade, Yusuke of Tourin," he explained. "Our other comrade, Kurama, requested a meeting with Mukuro, and they know I have been absent from my post at the border. They wish to be filled in on what has happened since we parted ways about nine months ago."

"I don't think Our Lady will mind you disclosing details of your stay here," Mana reassured.

"It's not that I am concerned about." He frowned, not sure how to explain himself. "We… haven't really been apart since we met, and I don't want to upset her by leaving."

To his surprise, all three women spluttered with poorly restrained laughter. Even his furious glare couldn't quiet them. Finally, Michi breathed, "Gosh, I don't even know that last time I laughed, let alone like that."

"Glad I could entertain you," Hiei spat.

"How do we say this nicely…" Ume mused.

Mana, with her characteristic bluntness, explained, "Hiei, we are a society of women. We do not know reliance on a man or his presence. I don't mean that she won't miss you – she will because she cares for you – but she will be fine. You need not worry about her. She is not a weak, maudlin thing. Perhaps it is you who would be upset if the situations were reversed?"

Hiei considered her words for a moment. Hearing the implication that he was projecting his own feelings on Asako made sense. If anything, he knew her words to be true; he had been angry when he thought Asako was taking off on her own to the Ice Domain. Just because he had attachment and rejection issues didn't mean she did. He already knew she was one of the strongest people he knew, and that she trusted him; he should have known that she would be fine without him and would trust him to return to her.

With a slight smirk, he allowed, "You're right. That was short-sighted of me."

* * *

"I hope you have a good trip," said Asako earnestly, settling into his embrace. "I'm sorry I can't come with you; I know it would be helpful to have someone else there to take some of the storm of questions those guys will probably have."

"Don't worry about it," he said easily. "I'm sure I'm in for more teasing than questions. Yusuke and the oaf will surely enjoy this unforeseen development in my life. Kurama is the one who will have questions."

"Why would they tease you?" she asked, eyebrows knitting in confusion. "Because it's me?"

"No," he said quickly, shaking his head. He tightened his hold around her waist. "I meant because I have historically been rather… resistant to forging relationships. And I have scoffed at their desire for romantic bonds as well. They will surely be obnoxious now that I can empathize with such feelings."

Asako smiled into his shoulder and pressed harder, surely stifling a laugh. "I apologize for the inconvenience your feelings for me will cause you."

He merely grunted uncomfortably. Changing the subject, he said, "Good luck moving forward here."

"Thanks," she muttered, tucking herself under his chin. Her own grip around his middle tightened. "Be safe, okay?"

He didn't point out that he would be in virtually no danger travelling back to Genkai's because she already knew. Instead, he replied, "I will. You too."

She knew that he understood that her work in the Ice Domain was low risk, but she promised, "I will."

They pulled back simultaneously, moving back in for a kiss. It was chaste yet deep, each of them trying to convey things they couldn't quite express through words. Eventually, they pulled apart. Hiei dropped his forehead to hers, eyes closed.

"I'll see you when I get back," he muttered.

"I look forward to it."

* * *

Hiei found himself thinking wistfully of the company of Mana's bookstore as he found himself the center of attention in Genkai's temple. He sat in the window as usual, but it did little to distract him from the five pairs of expectant eyes on him.

"I'm not getting any younger," Genkai snapped. "Let's get this meeting going."

"Where have you been, Hiei? I tried to contact you but you weren't in Alaric," Yusuke began.

Kurama nodded. "Mukuro says you haven't been there in months. Did you leave your position there?"

"Why didn't you tell us you were leaving?" asked Kuwabara.

"Where is Asako? Are you still traveling together?" Yukina asked, eyes shining with worry.

Hiei sighed. "I didn't leave my post with Mukuro, I am on leave. I didn't tell anyone because of where I was going. I am still with Asako, but she is back where we have been staying in the Glacial Village."

Silence met his answers. Then a collective, "What?!"

"One at a time with your questions," he drawled exasperatedly.

Yukina spoke up first, "They allowed you to stay in the village?!"

"It took quite a bit of convincing on Asako's part, but yes. I've even made a few acquaintances there. I assume you know Mana, Ume, Saki and Michi?" he asked, looking to Yukina.

"I do! They're lovely," she smiled kindly.

Kurama spoke up, voice matching the seriousness of his expression. "Hiei, why did you go with her?"

"She asked me to," he answered simply. "She has work to do there, and thought I would be helpful."

"Helpful?" Genkai pressed for clarification.

Yukina jumped in and explained, "I assume he means because of Asako's position at home. She is due to become the leader of our people any time now."

"Yes, and she wants to make a lot of changes," Hiei nodded. "Basically, her goal is to tackle their isolationism, prejudices, and so on."

"But why did you accept her request?" Kurama urged. Hiei could tell that the fox demon was growing impatient, though he masked it well.

"Yeah, man, doesn't sound like you at all to go along with something like that," Yusuke mused.

Now for the difficult part. Avoiding their gazes, Hiei muttered, "Would you deny a request made by your woman?"

There was silence once more. Finally, Genkai's laughter broke it. She smirked and said, "Finally. Watching you two try so hard to hate each other was sickening."

Yusuke and Kuwabara chortled before bursting into boisterous laughter. Hiei shot them each a glare that would have sent most apparitions running.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Hiei," Yukina said cheerfully. "You and Asako deserve happiness."

"Yeah, Hiei, wonderful," Yusuke laughed. "So glad you finally grew a pair and decided you wanted to do something with them."

"Poor Asako," Kuwabara sniggered. "Having to deal with Shorty. Do you lecture her on the futility of dating?"

"We aren't dating," Hiei snapped, already nearing the end of his patience with the two idiots.

"Eh?" Yusuke tilted his head. "But you said you're together?"

Kurama stepped in to give the humans of the group an explanation. "Demons don't date, we court. It is something you only do with someone you see as a potential mate. Most demons have casual sex if they are not courting, but when you court, that stops. You only spend time with your potential mate."

"Sounds like dating to me," Kuwabara grumbled.

The redhead pressed on, "There are differences. Courting is often sexless. Ideally, the apparitions courting would be so compatible that it would be incredibly difficult not to mark each other during the act. And dating leads to marriage, which is great and wonderful, but for demons, mating is different. It is completely permanent. Mates are connected until death and there is no absolving that. Mating involves an exchange of life energy. Locating the other easily, knowing if the other has been injured or is in danger, feeling when the other passes are all part of this bond. Furthermore, while your mate is alive, you cannot take another."

"Yeah, that is a bigger commitment than marriage, that's for sure." Yusuke joked, "Don't tell Keiko about it."

"Shorty, you think you could do something like that? With Asako?"

"Obviously if I am courting her," Hiei snapped.

There was silence again, and Hiei could sense a tension to this one. Genkai asked, "Yukina, I think we could all use some tea, if you don't mind."

"Of course, Master Genkai," the ice maiden complied, quickly getting up to do as she was asked.

"Kuwabara, you may want to help her. The tray will be heavy with this many guests," added the old psychic. The love-struck male obediently hastened after the ice maiden.

With them out of the room, Kurama wasted no time in asking, "Hiei, you returned to the Glacial Village? Why not go your separate ways for a time, or-"

"We are courting, fox," Hiei cut him off curtly. "She asked for my support and I gave it. She has pushed herself immensely for my benefit. I was skeptical at first, but seeing what she has accomplished in only a few months, I believe she is the change the ice apparitions need. So I will stay with her despite what those people did to me."

"And the other villagers are cool getting chummy with the Forbidden Child they exiled?" Yusuke asked.

"Many people still take issue with my presence, surely, but the younger villagers have slowly warmed up to the idea since the Forbidden One hasn't yet destroyed them," Hiei rolled his eyes. "I've developed rapport with a few, but more are coming around the longer the promises fed to them about the unrestrained violence of men go unfulfilled."

"How did she convince them to allow you to stay?" Genkai asked. "Moreover, how did she convince Mukuro to release her hold on you?"

Feeling more comfortable now that talk of himself had been pushed aside, Hiei answered, "She is a superior negotiator."

"What do you mean?"

With pride swelling in his chest, Hiei explained the deal she had come up with and pitched to Mukuro. Kurama beamed and said, "How cunning. Mukuro certainly had to accept a well thought out deal such as that. And the potential for a future alliance has opened up…"

The fire apparition nodded. "That's what Asako said."

"A complimentary pair, then. She has the brains and the ability to play the game and what she can't negotiate, you can threaten and kill," Genkai smirked.

Crimson eyes rolled, but he had to admit there was some truth to her jest. Yukina and Kuwabara had returned and set about pouring tea during his explanation of the meeting between Asako and the former demon lord. Yukina spoke up, saying, "Asako is a most capable leader. Everything in her life has prepared her to lead an entire race of people, after all. She has endured some of the worst things imaginable by the hands of our people – her mother, even."

"Her mother?" Hiei asked, surprised.

"Well of course the head council woman would be the primary trainer of her replacement," the ice apparition replied.

"That awful woman is…?" He trailed off, troubled. It had never occurred to him that the oldest woman was Asako's mother. It was so obvious, though. Asako was the next leader. In order to be next in line, she had to be the youngest child of the head council woman. So that horrid woman who spoke so terribly to her was her mother. And her mother had trained her… tortured her. He couldn't even imagine.

Seeing the thinly veiled mix of anger and horror on his face, his comrades exchanged tense looks. Kuwabara ventured, "So then seriously… the worst things?"

Numbly, Hiei answered, "She told me that nothing Minato's men did to her was a new experience. She had been trained to withstand everything." Anger rising, he snarled, "I could kill that heartless woman."

* * *

"I figured you'd still be up."

Hiei looked up from his seat at the kitchen table and the cup of tea between his palms. He was unsurprised to see the old woman. In his many visits to her temple, they had met like this in the middle of the night often. As usual, she poured herself a cup of tea as well and sat on the other end of the table. They sat in companionable silence for a long time.

"Don't let the idiots' teasing get to you. It's their stupid way of showing they're happy for you," Genkai said eventually.

"I know," he admitted grumpily. "That's hardly my biggest concern right now."

"Are you having a crisis because you were too stupid to figure out the identity of her mother before now?"

Genkai was unaffected by the glare he shot her. With a sigh, Hiei replied, "I can't fathom… Stories of Asako's life have left me with no doubt that things have always been incredibly difficult for her. But to know that those things were done to her by her _mother_ … My mother is the only person up until meeting Kurama who didn't reject me. She was willing to leave everyone she had every known and go out entirely on her own so she could keep me. I thought that ice maidens must at least love their children. Asako didn't even have that. She's had almost nothing but pain. I'm thankful that Yukina befriended her when they were younger."

"There's no way to empathize with that," Genkai counseled. "You can only be sympathetic to it. If it affects her, act accordingly. And knowing that life has not been fair to her, make sure that from now on it is."

In their late night talks, Hiei had eventually become comfortable enough with the psychic to really speak his mind. She was old and wise; she would not judge him, nor would she deliver advice that felt condescending. With that in mind, he admitted, "It's just… fucked up. And the world has fucked me up to the point where I wonder if I am even capable of being what she needs to finally be happy."

"Doubtless there are people with personalities better suited for her problems than you,"  
Genkai replied. Hiei winced, but she continued, "Love doesn't make sense, though. Someone like Kurama who can read emotions and act appropriately and immediately would certainly suit her better. But if she has fallen for you, what anybody else has to offer won't compare. If you are happy together, if you support her and care for her and allow her to do the same for you, if she can realize her goals, she will heal."

"It's hard to imagine… her loving me," he muttered. "But I guess… she sometimes looks the way Keiko does around Yusuke."

"And I'd be willing to bet that you look at Asako with the same stupid face the dimwit looks at Keiko," Genkai smiled.

Hiei scowled into his tea, though he silently had to admit that she could be right. "Then I suppose now I just have to hold back from killing that vile mother of hers."

"That would probably undo all the work she has done," the old woman agreed. "Anyway, how long are you staying?"

"Only a week," Hiei answered. "After all, I have someone waiting for me now."

* * *

A/N: Thank you as always for the support.


	18. Chapter 18

"Hey, Hiei," Yusuke greeted, throwing himself onto the couch in the living room.

Hiei scowled, as he had taken refuge in the previously empty room's window seat, but greeted, "Yusuke."

"So I was thinkin'…" the younger male drawled.

"A rare occurrence," Hiei interjected.

Ignoring the jab, Yusuke continued, "I thought for sure you decided to get with Asako because you were finally horny or something, but Kurama said courting is usually sexless. So you mustn't be getting' any at all."

Glaring, the fire demon snapped, "That's hardly any of your concern."

"Yeah, but then once I realized that, I kept thinking and had to wonder if you were one for casual, one night stands before Asako or if you're still _inexperienced_ ," Yusuke sniggered.

"Still not your concern."

"Sounds like the words of a virgin to me," Yusuke teased.

Hiei rolled his eyes. "You humans put too much stock in such things. When demons reach maturity, long-term celibacy is essentially off the table. Our instincts are much stronger than any human's. Unless you have an intended prior to maturing, your first is rarely your mate. It's nice if it is, because demons are possessive, but it is not the norm. And it's not some macho thing for men to lay with many women, nor is it shameful for women to lay with many men. It's a mutually beneficial act and nothing more. Humans complicate damn near everything."

"So you were a one night stand type?"

The shorter male sighed and conceded, "Occasionally."

Yusuke hummed his interest then asked, "And Asako?"

"The first men she met were those who worked for Minato, and then us."

Hiei could see the cogs turning as Yusuke worked through the vague statement. They all knew there had been no sexual abuse during her capture, so the former Spirit Detective said, "So, if she wasn't that type, does she care that you were?"

"In a possessive sense," Hiei shrugged. "I will have a mate touched only by me and she won't. But overall, no, because it is to be expected. She is different, considering what she is and where she's from."

Again, Yusuke mulled this over. "So you must really care about her, all things considered."

Not dignifying him with a response, the fire demon demanded, "Why all the questions?"

"Well, I'm happy for you," he answered easily. Hiei opened his mouth to diffuse the embarrassment he felt, but Yusuke continued, "And it has honestly made me wonder about myself. Am I not demon enough or is that Keiko and I aren't as compatible as I thought? Because I can definitely do things with her without any crazy, demon urges springing up."

"Why didn't you ask Kurama about this? I'm hardly one to seek out for counsel."

"Kurama talks in technical terms and leaves things out if he thinks it'll complicate things. You tell it straight."

Hiei had to admit to himself that Yusuke had a point. He looked at his friend for a moment before answering, "Of the three of us who possess demonic energy, I am the only one who is demon through and through. You have the soul and the body of a human, strengthened by your demon energy. Kurama has the soul and energy of a demon, but a human body. I am demon in soul, body and energy. As such, demonic instincts are strongest in me and weakest in you."

"So… it's not necessarily that Keiko and I aren't compatible, it's just that my demon instincts aren't strong enough?"

"You are mostly human and you were raised human. Although you now live as a demon, your human instincts are what were fostered and which grew dominant."

Yusuke sighed in relief. "Man, I thought there was something wrong with either my relationship or me."

"There's plenty wrong with you."

The other male simply smirked and said, "Sure, sure. At least I'm getting laid."

* * *

"Do you truly believe that Asako alone can transform the ice maidens? Integrate their village with the rest of the Makai?"

Hiei placed his chopsticks down and glared up at Kurama. "I said I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, but it seems… idealistic."

"You haven't seen the changes I have, Kurama."

The redhead considered him for a moment before replying, "Do you see change, or do you see the dreams of your intended mate?"

Anger flaring, the fire demon spat, "You know I hated those women more than anyone, yet you dare suggest that I am not being objective?"

"Your emotions often mar your judgment, Hiei."

"You're walking a thin line, fox," he warned with a glower. "Listen, I can see a difference. Those women all avoided me when I first arrived there. Nobody spoke to me, made eye contact with me. Now, I walk the streets freely and comfortably and I even do mundane things like have tea with some of them. The younger women are quite open to the changes Asako is trying to make. The middle-aged ones are cautious but coming around. It is the elders who are as despicable as I always thought them to be. But Asako's leadership will make all the difference. It won't matter what the elders want; the leader of the ice maidens will hold views supported by the majority. I may not be good at politics, but I don't have to be to see that she is well on her way to succeeding."

Kurama gave him a small smile and said, "I just wanted to be sure. She must really have the attributes of a spectacular leader. I must admit I regret not being able to get to know her better."

Hiei raised a brow and Kurama chuckled and lifted his hands in defense. "I meant because you are with her. I wish I knew her better if she's someone you care for this much and who you may very well take as a mate. As your friend, it's a shame."

The pair fell into a comfortable silence and continued eating their lunch. After a long stretch, Hiei said, "I'm glad none of you got particularly involved with her."

"Oh?"

"If I hadn't been the only one here at the temple with her, I don't think any of this would have happened. I would have left her to one of you as much as possible, wiped my hands clean of the whole thing, then gone back to Alaric without ever thinking of her again."

Kurama replied thoughtfully, "Yes, I suppose you're right. This really just means that someday you will have to bring her back for a proper introduction. She should be a true member of the group."

"I'm sure that is within the realm of possibility eventually."

"You are leaving in a few days, correct?" When Hiei nodded, Kurama smiled. "Missing her?"

Hiei scoffed but didn't deny it, an answer in itself.

* * *

As was tradition, on the last night of their meeting-turned-reunion, the four friends broke out the alcohol. Tradition continued in that Yusuke and Kuwabara got quite drunk. Kurama and Hiei settled for lightly drunk, wanting to keep at least some wits about them. The game of the night was a strange hybrid of Would You Rather and Truth or Dare, in that all questions were truths or preference-based and rules stated that opting not to answer meant further drinking. For some reason none of them could recall, they were also playing as teams.

"Okay, boobs or ass?" Yusuke asked.

Hiei rolled his eyes but answered, "Boobs."

"Agreed," Kurama nodded.

Yusuke shook his head. "You guys are crazy. So many nice asses must go unappreciated."

"Brains or humor?" Kurama asked, keeping it cleaner than their friends tended to.

"Humor," Kuwabara answered. "If you can't laugh with your girl, why bother?"

"Brains," Yusuke disagreed. "One person has to have them, and it's not me."

Hiei muttered, "That's certainly the truth."

Kuwabara eyed Kurama for a long moment before asking, "Girls or guys?"

Kurama, unimpressed, answered firmly, "Girls."

"Neither," Hiei replied. "I like women."

"What's the difference?" Yusuke scoffed.

"A girl is a child, a woman is an adult. It shows respect."

Kuwabara grumbled, "Sounds like you take things too seriously."

"And if someone refused to call you a man? Insisted on calling you a boy?" Hiei asked. "That wouldn't hurt your pride?"

The orange haired psychic bristled, "Of course it would! But girls are different!"

Leveling him with a hard look, Hiei said, "Where I come from, everyone strives for respect. You may refer to women however you'd like, but I give respect where it is due. The Makai is kill or be killed; whomever makes it to maturity deserves to be recognized respectfully. I'd never insult what Asako has lived through by referring to her as though she is a defenseless child. She is my woman."

"Man, booze gets you talking, but it doesn't improve your mood," Yusuke sulked. "I guess I see what you mean, though."

"I told you many years ago that Hiei lives by a strict code,"Kurama grinned.

"Yeah, I figured out a long time ago that Shorty is way less of an asshole than he lets on," Kuwabara admitted begrudgingly.

"Death by flame or sword," Hiei growled. "I'd like to know in case this conversation doesn't end immediately."

"Sword," Yusuke smirked. "Maybe I'll be one of your kills that gets cut up so quick they don't even realize it."

"Good call, Urameshi. Same."

Back to Yusuke's turn, he went back to his crude questioning, "Top or bottom?"

Hiei glanced at Kurama. Telepathically, he pointed out, _I answered his last inane question first. Your turn_.

Kurama huffed quietly, but answered, "The fox in me is most pleased on top."

"Either," Hiei replied.

"Really?" asked Yusuke, sounding genuinely surprised. "I can't see you being a bottom ever."

"It gives the woman more control to do what pleases her the most," he shrugged, unbothered. "They're complex creatures that don't get off easily. If they know what to do to get there, let them do it."

The other three fighters all looked suddenly chastised, leading Hiei to think none of them had thought of it that way. With a smirk, he mused, "I feel bad for any women you've lain with."

"Don't act like you're some kinda superior sex god," Yusuke snapped back. "Maybe you're a good fuck, but you're a little emotionally stunted for like… the real thing."

Hiei rolled his eyes. "What a novel thought; such concerns never occurred to me. Just keep going with this stupid game."

* * *

It was strange, walking through the snowy landscape alone. Only a week away had left him feeling uneasy about returning to a place that held negative memories. Yet he was excited, too, knowing that Asako was there. He was looking forward to hearing about how her week had been, what kind of progress she had made, and even just to seeing her again. She had asked him once if he missed his comrades when they went their separate ways, and he had honestly told her that it was not the active type of missing someone, but rather something he realized upon seeing them again. In fact, he had never actively missed someone before his week away from her.

He walked deep into the village, knowing that his late return meant he stood a good chance of catching the future leader finishing up her work for the day. Sure enough, as he got closer to the building the council convened in, he could sense her presence inside. Hiei glanced around for a moment before settling on leaning against a lamppost to wait for her.

As he waited, a few women passed by. A couple either smiled or waved at him, a couple ignored him. One, a middle-aged woman named Chiyo, approached him.

"Hiei, I haven't seen you around. How have you been?"

"I've been well," he answered somewhat stiffly. Small talk would never be his forte. "I had business to tend to in the Ningenkai."

"Ah, well, that explains it," the woman replied good-naturedly. "I'm glad you have returned. It is comforting knowing Our Lady has someone in her corner."

"It seems like her corner has been growing since her return."

Chiyo nodded and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Yes, but we are all bound by rules. You are not. Your only interest here – I presume – is her, which is good."

"You presume?" Hiei arched a brow. "What else would it be?"

"Many of us who remember you thought for certain we would only see you again if you came back to destroy us. If that was your aim, you could have easily done that by now."

"Is that what I owe this politeness to?"

Chiyo shook her head. "No. Many of us would have understood if you had wanted to end us. I'm not sure what you think of us, but what happened to you did not sit well with many of us. That's why you'll find some of the council has been more receptive to your presence and to the changes Asako has been pushing for. It was a decision made by the elders. We were terrified, yes, when Hina bore a son. But she loved you and you were just a baby.

"You know, Asako is about a year older than you. Your mother was one of her caretakers before she had you and Yukina. Hina was pregnant for the first time and wanted to make sure she would be ready. She must have known she was having twins and was nervous about it all. Anyway, she grew very fond of Our Lady. She is surely pleased that you are taking care of her."

Hiei was surprised by the revelation and his chest tightened with emotion he really did not want to examine. Instead, he replied, "Asako fends for herself just fine. I'm not taking care of her or playing bodyguard or something."

Chiyo gave him a small smile and said, "I know, dear. And you know what I mean."

The fire demon was silent, not meeting the woman's eyes for several moments. "Do the other women here know what you mean? Or do they think I'm just here to protect her?"

"Our Lady has not kept you hidden. She has been forthright with the villagers about what you are to her at every opportunity. Many people find it hard to accept. Our Lady who is soon to lead us may very well take a mate, and that is unheard of. But we do all want her to be happy. She, like her predecessors, has been through much. Though I think she, especially, has had a tough teacher. Then she was taken by those awful people. Yet she remains as caring about the rest of us as ever. So if you can make her happy despite all of her suffering, then the majority of us have come to support it. Though I won't lie; it's a comfort that the person she has found is powerful enough to protect her." Chiyo looked at him with a hint of a smile and a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And it's an added bonus that she chose a particularly attractive-"

"Goodness, Chiyo, are you flirting with the man I am courting?" Asako's teasing voice met his ears, and his chest tightened.

The silver haired woman approached them and Chiyo laughed lightly. "My Lady, what did you expect? You brought us a good-looking man to ogle, then let him disappear for a week!"

"How cruel of me," Asako jested. She looked up at Hiei then, her eyes dancing. "Welcome back, Hiei."

She surprised him by looping her arm with his. He was saved responding by Chiyo asking, "I've heard that our Honorable Lady isn't doing well?"

"You heard correctly. Though you can't tell as she's still very much herself."

"Ah, well, I'm sorry, dear. It's difficult, knowing the inevitable draws near and your life will undergo such change."

"Thank you, Chiyo," Asako replied politely.

"Do the elders know about…?" Chiyo gestured toward Hiei pointedly.

Asako opened her mouth to respond when a cold voice interrupted, "So this is what you truly brought him here for."

The silver haired apparition grimaced and said, "Well, they do now."

The trio turned to see that the head elder was approaching them. Asako looked calm and collected, and Hiei would have taken that at face value if it wasn't for the grip of her hand on his forearm.

"Honorable Lady, I do so love seeing you out and about. I hope you are doing well?" Chiyo greeted.

The old woman ignored her, cold eyes trained on Asako. "This is unacceptable."

"To you, I suppose it would be," Asako replied smoothly.

"I will not allow this."

"I'm afraid that doesn't matter to me."

The old woman's eyes flashed with anger. "I am still the leader of this village, girl. This is an abomination. An ice maiden with a man – a Forbidden Child, no less. You have shamed yourself, you have shamed me and you have betrayed our people. Your utter lack of sense and disrespect for the traditions which have kept us safe all these years disgust me."

"And your hatred and bigotry disgust me," Asako seethed. "You may still lead this village, but you do not own me. Perhaps it is because you have never loved another creature in your life that you so strongly cling to this isolation, this hatred of men, but I do not share those traits at all."

The elder leaned in threateningly and Hiei's eyes narrowed. This wasn't his battle to fight, and he knew Asako would be upset if he tried. Instead, he gently pulled her hand off his forearm and settled it in his palm, lacing their fingers together. She squeezed his and allowed their linked hands to hang between them. Her words had caught his attention, but it was no time to consider their implication.

With a snarl, the head councilwoman said, "Do not speak to me that way. I could not train Chiyo to take my place because I let my feelings for her get in the way. It became clear she was too kind to lead. That is why I was forced to have you so late in my life."

Hiei looked at the middle-aged woman still standing with them in surprise. Could she be…?

"I could not let myself make the same mistake again, the same mistake my mother made when she trained me. We have never been tough enough in the training of our future leaders. Perhaps if I had been taught better, there would have been no Forbidden Child born under my rule," the old ice apparition glared down her nose at Hiei, her lips curled in revulsion.

His temper flared, and he could feel the snow at his feet begin melting. Asako's grip on his hand tightened, and he took a breath, stamping down his anger. She did no such thing with hers, however, and snapped back, "Stop calling him that!" More calmly, but with danger clearly audible in her voice, she continued, "So you didn't love me in order to train me. Fine. What is done is done. But just because you didn't care for me doesn't mean I didn't develop the capacity to care. I care deeply about our people and where our society is going. I will not let our old ways continue to drive us into the ground, turn our women into creatures who are held back from feeling and connecting and living their best life. And I care about Hiei. He is my intended and I will not _stand_ for your vile way of speaking about him."

The fire apparition looked down at Asako with wide eyes. No one had ever spoken up for him so honestly and passionately before. His chest grew tight, but in a warm way. He couldn't quite label the feelings welling up inside of him, but they were all good and he was grateful that the amazing woman beside him made him feel them.

"I and the other women of the council will not have it," the old woman spat.

"Most of the council already knows and have given their blessing," Asako countered.

"They are blinded by their affections for you. I have the final say and I will assert it!"

Asako lifted a brow. "And undermine the agency of the majority of the council? I am sure they will appreciate that in the future."

"Honorable Lady," Chiyo finally spoke up. "Most of the villagers have grown quite used to Hiei. Many have even developed a fondness for him. Banishing him now, seeing the effect that will have on Asako, it will leave the villagers with a depleted morale and in a state of confusion."

"They will not see how such a banishment would affect me because if you force him to leave, I will go, too. And then who will lead? Who can become as prepared as I given the limited time table before a new leader must step up?"

Hiei could feel the thick tension between the women. Finally, the head councilwoman snapped, "This is a matter we will debate as an entire council. Those women need reminding of why we live as we do before they give their official consensus."

"Fine. Tomorrow, then. For now, I am returning to the cottage to be with my intended for the first time in a week," Asako replied icily. She turned to Chiyo with a much softer expression. "Thank you for keeping Hiei company."

"Any time," Chiyo replied kindly.

Asako finally looked up at Hiei. "Ready?"

"Definitely," he nodded.

* * *

A/N: Continuing the mass upload. Thank you for the support.

Ashley Martinez 1 - I'm really happy to hear that you are enjoying this story! Apologies for the hiatus, but I do plan to continue this push to edit and get the rest of the story posted. Thanks for sticking with me!


	19. Chapter 19

"I missed you."

Asako's lips brushed his earlobe as she muttered the sweet words. Hiei's arms tightened around her waist, desperately holding her close. They lay in bed, clothes rumpled and hair mussed, legs tangled together after they had reunited in a flurry of kisses, nips and touches.

He nuzzled his nose against her temple and whispered, "I missed you, too."

"I'm so sorry," she replied, her voice wavering.

Hiei pulled back and was horrified to see her big sapphire eyes shining with unshed tears. He kept her close with one hand on her back and cupped her cheek with the other. Earnestly, he replied, "You've nothing to apologize for."

"I hate the way she speaks of you," Asako continued, her lower lip beginning to pucker. "She's caused you so much pain, and now, because of me, you are back here and-"

"Don't," he cut her off. "Her words make me angry, but there is no pain here anymore. Too many of the women here have been kind and accepting of me to think that your people are cold and hateful. Some are, but knowing that what happened to me was by the will of only some rather than the will of all… it makes a difference.

"And anyway, it seems that your… sister is accepting of me?"

Asako gave him a weak smile and said, "Yes, Chiyo is one of my sisters. She is the second youngest. I always knew that the reason my mother had me was that she considered Chiyo somehow unfit to lead. There is no other reason to have taken on such an incredibly high-risk pregnancy to have me."

"How does that work? She must have been really fucking old to be having a baby."

"Ice maidens have unique bodies," Asako said, her eyes becoming increasingly drier. "Once we reach a hundred years of age, we can have a baby every one hundred years. However, this is done largely by choice. I don't get exactly how it works having not experienced it myself, but older women have told me there's a feeling you get some day during that hundredth year. If you accept that feeling, accept the change within your body, you become pregnant. If you choose to reject it, you don't. They say it is a truly unique feeling, and none have every really been able to put it into words. It leaves me honestly a little uneasy for when it will eventually happen to me.

"But on the other hand, we are still women. Our bodies still work as a woman's body does. We have cycles of heat like any other apparition and we can become pregnant by lying with a man. However, biology is biology; there is a time limit on that sort of reproduction. There isn't a time limit on the hundred year cycle of reproduction. It's more that after a certain age, the toll pregnancy takes on the body becomes too much and women simply begin rejecting the feeling."

Hiei blinked a few times, letting all of the new information settle in. "Do you want kids someday?"

"I would, yes," Asako nodded.

"And if we were mates… which way would you want to have them? Or would you take advantage of both?"

Doe eyes studied his face for a moment. "I think it is beautiful that our bodies are blessed with this capability, and it is amazing that a woman can have a child if she wants to without needing to be with a man. But if I had the opportunity, I'd rather my child be a product of us than just a product of me."

Hiei's ego and pride nicely stoked and his chest tight with the meaning of her words, he could only respond by wrapping both arms around her again. The swirl of emotions reminded him of something else, though. She had said something to her mother which he hadn't yet had time to think about. "You said something earlier. I wonder exactly what you meant by it."

"What do you mean?"

"You said that your mother had never loved someone else, but you hadn't lost that capability despite your upbringing. How do you know that?"

"Well… I suppose no one can really know, right? If you've never been in love before, how can you be sure what you're feeling is it? But… being with you has made me feel something that's like how I feel for Yukina or my sisters, but also completely different. I love them as family. But how I feel about you, it's…" she trailed off, face scarlet and eyes closed in embarrassment at her poor articulation.

"If that's true, then I…" he muttered, his voice so low she barely heard it.

Asako's embrace tightened and the two apparitions spoke no more. Being with each other and the near confessions between them was enough.

* * *

Going to the market in the village was not something Hiei did often, and he almost never did it without Asako. But she had left early in the morning and had been in meetings all day with the council. Considering it was a meeting about him and the elder's insistence that she end their courtship, he figured it was the least he could do to pick up something for her that would lift her spirits. He had a feeling that some hawthorn berries could do just that.

As he browsed the fruit stand run by a friendly middle-aged ice maiden named Rika, he could hear a child's crying from nearby. He ignored it at first, deciding to also pick up a couple of persimmons. Handing over the money to Rika, the fire demon couldn't help but glance over his shoulder in an attempt to locate the source of the sobs.

"Poor thing," Rika lamented. "Classes started a couple weeks ago, and that child is still having a hard time."

"Classes?" Hiei asked. "You mean resistance training?" The woman nodded. The crying continued and he inquired, "Why is everyone ignoring her?"

"Children aren't coddled here. She needs to find the strength in herself to close everything out and become unfeeling when she needs to be." Hiei clicked his tongue in annoyance. Rika defended, "This is how things are here."

The dark haired male said nothing further except a muttered thanks before storing the bag of fruit in his cloak. He turned and made his way toward a young girl with amber eyes streaming tears which fell to the snowy ground as shining stones. She was sitting on a bench in the square by herself slowly healing a lattice of cuts on her left arm. Hiei approached cautiously. He knew he had caught her attention when she looked up at him in surprise and fear. Slowly, he reached out his hand, a persimmon in his palm. She studied the offering for a moment, but made no move to take it. Their eyes met and her wariness was evident on her face.

"I know that your… teachers say that you must cut ties with your feelings to find strength. That does work for some people. But some people's strength is fueled entirely by their emotions. Two of my comrades are such people. One of them is the former Lord of an entire region of the Makai."

* * *

She hesitated a moment longer before reaching out and accepting the offered fruit. The young girl said nothing, but Hiei found himself grateful for that fact. He said nothing more, walking away in the direction of the cabin.

"So we never really talked about your trip back to the Ningenkai," Asako said, popping another berry in her mouth.

"It was fine," Hiei shrugged, lifting his persimmon to his lips.

"Did everything go well with your meetings?" He nodded. Asako asked, "Does Yukina know that you're…?"

The fire demon sighed heavily, troubled. "No. I'm just not…"

He broke off and they fell into silence. Quietly, Asako asked, "What will you do if she comes back here and hears it from someone else?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Part of me would be relieved because it would be out of my hands. It seems that no matter what I'm stuck. It's been so long now that I've kept it from her."

"Why did you?"

"For a long time it was because I had to. It was the deal I made with the demon who gave me my Jagan eye. I met him again when I first came to Alaric and he struck another deal to take back that stipulation if I defeated him in battle. I did, but still chose not to tell her because I figured she'd be happier with whatever version of her brother she had built up in her mind. Plus, it didn't seem like she would ever find out any other way. Now that it is a possibility, I don't know what to do."

Asako chewed her lip for a moment before saying, "It seems to me that there is a solution that would work for you. Why not tell Yukina but explain that it took you so long because of that deal?"

"But I've still been able to tell her for a few years," Hiei pointed out.

"There's no harm in keeping the timeline vague."

Crimson eyes blinked in surprise. "That seems like you're suggesting I lie."

"I am suggesting you tell the truth and not mention that your battle with this guy happened a couple years ago. She will be happy to hear the confirmation of what I'm sure she already suspects from you, and you need not worry about explaining the deeper reasons why you waited so long," Asako replied. "I'm not saying don't ever tell her that you waited a while longer, I'm just saying do what will be the most beneficial and comfortable for the both of you until you are at a better place with the things you can't yet talk to her about. She'll understand."

Hiei turned the suggestion over in his head for a long while. Finally, he said, "Maybe you're right."

The silver haired woman held out her hand to him, offering a palm full of berries. As he accepted them, she commented, "This went much better than the last time we spoke about Yukina."

"A lot has changed since then," he replied, handing her what was left of his persimmon. She took it and nibbled at the fruit contently. "I think I've finally gotten the hand of self-healing."

Asako looked up at him with a smile. "That's great! I'm sorry I haven't been around to help you."

He shook his head. "Don't apologize. You gave me all the tools; I just had to do it."

"Still, I do miss spending time with you. I know the elders are intentionally making my life as difficult as possible. They've turned everything into a battle so it takes three times as long as it should to accomplish even the easiest things," Asako said, frustration lacing her voice and tensing her shoulders.

Hiei was thoughtful for a moment before asking, "I found a small hot spring in the mountains; is it used by the villagers at all?"

"No, not really," she answered. "There is a larger one nearer the village that people use."

"Then let's go."

She shot him a wary look. "I don't really want to bare it all up in the mountains, Hiei."

"Wear your underwear and a sports bra," he replied easily. With a mischievous smirk, he offered, "Even if you're still dressed, I don't have to be."

The fire demon chuckled when her face flushed from his teasing. In a half-hearted voice, she chastised, "Don't mess with me."

"Your reactions are too great a reward," he quipped. "Do you want to go? The spring will be good for you and I'll be there."

"Yes, let's go," she agreed, the pink coloring her cheeks not entirely faded.

* * *

"I feel much better just having been outside so long," Asako said with a small smile as the couple reached their destination in the mountains. The air was clouded with steam from the hot spring and smelled fresh and clean. "I spend all day in that damned meeting house now."

Hiei looked away guiltily. "I feel like that is because of my presence in your life. At least currently."

"True," she agreed. He started, turning to look at her. Admittedly, he didn't think she would so bluntly agree. With a smirk, she continued, "Without you I would still be in that awful building in the Ningenkai having the shit beat or cut or burnt out of me every day. Even if someone else had been able to accomplish your mission, I certainly wouldn't have been able to come back here."

"Did you become a kiss-ass while I was away?" he asked gruffly, though without any real malice in his voice. His cheeks flushed despite his attempt to chase away the self-consciousness inspired by her words. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand, repressing a laugh. With a scowl, he tossed off his cloak and started lifting his tank top over his head.

"How could I while you were away? The only ass I'd kiss is yours."

He froze midway through pulling off the garment. Crimson eyes studied her smirking face for a moment before a mischievous tilt of his own lips twitched into place. "There are other places I'd rather you kiss."

"And here I thought perhaps I'd figure out what's going on back there under all the baggy pants you wear," she teased.

Hiei threw his shirt to the ground and began unbuckling his belts. "I think I'm a bad influence on you, Asako. Such lewd utterings."

She had to stifle another laugh, but then replied, "A little, perhaps. I'm no good at flirting, but this seemed like something you'd respond well to."

"I like it," he nodded, adding his belts to the growing pile of clothes on the ground.

Asako pulled her sweater off and dropped it on top of his pile. He toed off his boots and she did the same with hers. His pants came off easily, and Asako quickly looked away. He chuckled and said, "I wore shorts underneath."

She hummed her understanding and shyly met his eye again. In a small voice, she asked, "Can you… turn around?"

He was caught off guard by the request. They had shared a bed for nearly ten months, they had known each other for over a year, he had seen her without a shirt on very early on in knowing her, and she wasn't stripping down entirely. "I will if you'd like me to, but what has you uncomfortable?"

She began biting her lip and avoiding his gaze. "I don't like my body."

Hiei frowned and encouraged, "You can talk to me about this."

"I'm too thin. I look like a girl, not a woman," she muttered into his shoulder.

"What does a woman look like?"

"Full and soft and with hips… I don't know," she sighed.

He nuzzled his nose against her temple and replied, "Do you think Mana is attractive as a woman?"

"Definitely."

"Ume?"

"Yes."

"Agreed, they're attractive enough women. Yet Mana is flat-chested and Ume has narrow hips. The difference is that you're too tough on yourself. There was no way, after what you've been through and then the training you put your body through afterwards to regain your health and prepare yourself for what you wanted to do next in life, that you would be the archetypal buxom woman. It would have been unnatural." He paused to press a kiss to her temple before continuing, "I know there's no way I can give you self-confidence; it has to come from within you. But there is that logic. Your people look at you as the capable woman that will lead them. And I think you're easily the strongest woman I've ever met."

"The scarring…"

"Have you never looked at my body?"

Sapphire eyes peered up at him, surprised. "What?"

"My skin is not perfect."

Her sapphire eyes shyly roved over his upper body and torso, taking in his scars for what was clearly the first time. Although the extent of his scarring was not comparable to hers, he had his fair share and then some. Her hand rose, shaking slightly. Feather light, her fingers traced the crescent of circular scars on his shoulder.

"What's this one from?" she asked quietly.

"One of my fights in the Dark Tournament," he answered. "I was bitten by a wolf-freak."

"Did you still beat him?"

"Sliced the bastard to pieces," he answered with a satisfied smirk.

That earned him an upward twitch of her lips. Her eyes continued to trace his form until her index finger trailed over the long scar that cut horizontally across his midsection. "Here?"

"It's from the fight with the demon who gave me the Jagan." He lifted his left arm and pointed to the thin, straight scar across his forearm. "I lost the lower section of my arm, and the wound to my abdomen should have killed me. I had accepted death, actually. Mukuro's doctors were beyond talented."

Her eyes widened in horror at the revelation and her arms quickly wrapped around him in a tight hold. He returned the gesture and continued gently, "I wear these scars with pride. They mean I was stronger than the people who were against me. That I beat the odds. Yours say the same. They say my woman has conquered some real shit in her life and she should be respected."

"I really want to think about them that way. I want to accept my body."

"Then you have to let yourself."

She nodded slowly. With hands that weren't quite steady, she slid her pants down her legs and stepped out of them, leaving her in only a black sports bra and plain black boy shorts. White scars from blades and blotchy red scars from various types of burns were nearly everywhere. Her thighs were especially covered in burn scars and his anger rose seeing thin scars peeking out of the waistband on her underwear. Her face was truly the only part of her that was untouched. Hiei's hands slipped down her arms, lacing their fingers together.

"You're beautiful, Asako."

* * *

A/N: I hate the old cliche where a man telling a woman he thinks she is attractive suddenly and inexplicably boosts her self-confidence. I imagine Hiei has a more realistic understanding of how this really works. He probably seems a bit out of character, but I think this is a natural trajectory for him. He opens up a lot between stealing the Spirit World artifacts and losing to Mukuro at the Demon World Tournament. With the passage of more time, and the forging of a strong, intimate relationship, I think it plausible that, when alone, he could verbalize some pretty vulnerable things. Maybe that's just me?

Thank you as always for the continued interest.


	20. Chapter 20

"What about this one?"

"Acid," Asako answered, sapphire eyes watching Hiei's thumb swipe back and forth across a particularly awful keloidal scar on her right thigh. Even through the water of the hot spring the skin was red, twisted and warped. Her tone blank, she continued, "It was the worst tactic they tried. The pain is incomparable."

The fire apparition leaned in to press a comforting kiss on her cheek. "I'd kill them all if given the chance."

Doe eyes gazed up at him from beneath long lashes. "Thanks for all of this, Hiei. I need to face my past and insecurities, and I'm glad I can do that with your support."

"I'm glad to give it," he answered earnestly. "I have another question."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"How do I help you feel more at ease with me?"

Asako blinked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He looked away for a moment, unsure of how to answer. Finally, he said, "It seems like you're still uncomfortable looking at my body and I'm unsure if it's alright to…"

His fingers ghosted over the curve of her hip and she flushed lightly, understanding what he was trying to communicate. Asako's teeth gnawed at her lower lip. "I don't know how to explain it."

"Try?"

"Intimacy doesn't exist here in any form. It feels really uncomfortable and awkward sometimes when…" She cut off and groaned in frustration.

Hiei held her gaze for a long moment, now his turn to search for what she struggled to articulate. Finally, he asked, "It's uncomfortable to feel aroused?"

She gave a single, jerky nod of her head before dropping her gaze to the water. Her fingers swirled idly across the surface. "Intimacy is stamped out of us. We don't mature the same way as other apparitions, so those primal needs don't manifest in the same way. It's new and foreign to me."

The fire apparition nodded. "That makes sense. I was actually surprised when we first decided to court for that reason. It was an oversight to think that because there were no initial awkward feelings you must be fine with everything."

"I know I asked you once, but it seems worth asking again because nearly six months have passed. Are you bored?"

"No," he answered honestly. "Horny as hell sometimes, but that can't be helped. Even if you were more comfortable, I wouldn't want to push it as far as sex. We could fool around, but I don't think I'd be able to fight my instinct to mark you. I'm honestly not ready to be mated just yet."

"Nor am I," she sighed. "I have too much to figure out about the future, and it wouldn't be fair to permanently drag you into that."

He rested his hand on her scarred thigh, rubbing his thumb across the tough, raised skin. "I need to decide some things about my future, too."

Asako didn't press him for details, but looked at him curiously for a moment. She seemed to decide not to ask and settled for leaning her head on his shoulder. His lips twitched up in a smile. He loved that she didn't push him for details, trusting him to confide in her on his own. "I don't know what my future holds in working for Mukuro. It is something that gives me purpose now, but I don't want to work on the border forever. And I want a future with you in it, and maintaining my current position in Alaric will complicate that."

"I don't want to hold you back from doing anything, Hiei," she protested.

He shook his head. "You're not. Ultimately, I want you more than anything, so things that get in my way aren't things I have long-term interest in. I just need to figure out what else I want that is feasible."

"I want you, too," she replied quietly. "If changing the way this village operates doesn't work, I am still determined to leave. It isn't worth leading such a people, especially if they were to keep me from you."

"You've already made change," he said. "I can only see continued progress under your leadership."

"Thanks," she said with a light flush. "I hope you're right."

"Eventually, once things settle down, my comrades want to host a reunion. They want to know you better and outside the parameters of a mission."

"I'd like that."

"I would, too. I'd like to show off my strong, brilliant woman," he said with a playful smirk.

Asako elbowed him lightly. "Now who's kissing ass?"

"Hmm, is that an offer?"

* * *

"Hiei? Do you ever wonder who your father is? If he's still alive, where he is?"

"Honestly, it's never really been a consideration. I only cared about my mother and the ice maidens who rejected me," he answered, wondering what had brought about the sudden inquiry.

The couple lay in bed, Hiei on his back with his arms crossed beneath his head and Asako on her side, index finger tracing nonsense shapes across his bare abdomen. Since their talk about intimacy, Asako had once again been pushing herself to initiate more physical contact. They had been silent for a long while before the ice maiden had posed her odd question.

"It's just… I don't have a father," she said. Her blank expression and monotone voice had Hiei concerned. She hardly ever reverted to her apathetic self around him anymore. "I sometimes wonder what it would be like."

"I couldn't tell you," he responded absently, crimson eyes trying to read her face to no avail. "Why do you bring this up now?"

"The head council woman… My mother has fallen quite ill. The doctors think she has perhaps two weeks."

Hiei frowned. "Are you okay?"

"I don't feel anything, actually. But she's my mother. I should feel something, shouldn't I?" The ice maiden looked up at him, the worry now visible in her large eyes. "No grief at all. My sisters are all upset, but I'm not. What kind of a monster does that make me?"

Sapphire eyes now shone with fear. Hiei turned over on his side, cupping her face in his hands. "You are no monster. She did things that made it impossible for you to love her. She even admitted she purposefully did not love you. Just because you are her daughter doesn't mean you should grieve for a person who hurt you. Especially if they hurt you as badly and for as long as she did."

"I wonder sometimes, what it feels like to have a parent that loves you," she admitted in a whisper. "I have my sisters and Yukina, but it must feel different, right?"

"I wish I could have really met my mother," Hiei found himself confessing. "I had her tear stone, so I always wondered if she loved me. When I first came back to this village and Ree told me that my mother never got over losing me… I wish she was still alive, but I am immeasurably grateful to know that she did love me. For a very, very long time, she was the only person who did in any capacity."

Asako turned her head to kiss his palm. "Have I ever mentioned how grateful I am for you? I'd still be a fucked up shell of an apparition. With you, I feel like a person, one who is slowly becoming a little less fucked up."

"You've helped me a lot, too, you know," he muttered, tucking a lock of silver hair behind her ear. "I've seen you bravely overcome so much pain and so many hurdles, and it's help me face my own problems. I wouldn't have been able to verbalize half the things I say to you before we met. I've… opened up I guess. To myself and others."

"I guess we're doing the whole relationship thing right, then, if we're bettering each other and all."

"I'd say so," he nodded. "Are you really okay?"

"For now," she answered honestly. "I am sad in that I will never know a mother's love because the very slim chance of that happening will soon disappear. I don't know how to act once it happens, what sort of face to wear in front of my sisters, the council, the villagers. But I think you're right in that it's normal not to feel grief given the relationship I had with her. So at least in that regard I feel better. Plus, I know that if I'm not okay I have you."

His chest tightened at her words and he could respond only by enveloping her lips with his in a tender kiss. He knew what it felt like for others to rely on him on the job or in battle, but she was the first to rely on him for support in her life. Knowing someone trusted and valued him so much, especially someone in Asako's position, who had every reason in the world to never trust another person again, felt better than he could have ever guessed. He had lived life searching for a purpose, and perhaps it was lying beside him in bed. Perhaps supporting this amazing woman and her endeavors was a large part of what he was meant for. He'd gladly answer the call if it meant continuing to feel happy and worthwhile.

* * *

There truly were a vast number of ice maidens, Hiei realized, seeing the sea of women filling the field of snow. Somewhere in the crowd was Yukina, and he though vaguely of the conversation he would need to have with her very soon. Crimson eyes settled on the silver haired woman standing on a platform at the head of the crowd. In front of her was a white casket adorned with flowers.

The elders had looked aghast, even sickened, when he had followed Asako to the burial site. One fierce glare from their new leader had silenced any protests before they were even formed. He stood a good distance behind the back of the crowd, partially because he was uncomfortable and partially out of respect for the mourning women. An old woman spoke first, reciting verses that were probably spiritual and culturally significant. Hiei paid her no mind, instead watching Asako gaze down at the casket emotionlessly. He wondered how she was handling the loss of her mother given their complex relationship. She had agreed that there was no logical reason to feel anything for the woman, but logic may not rule when a child is standing behind the coffin holding her mother's corpse.

When the priestess finished speaking, she stepped down off the platform, leaving only Asako. The silver haired ice maiden wait a moment, allowing the women of the crowd to collect themselves before she began speaking.

"Our Honorable Lady has passed. She lived a full life, raising nineteen daughters and caring for all of the villagers as her children, too. Her life was dedicated to serving us all, to ensuring the safety and prosperity of these lands, and we all stand here today grateful for her work and mourning our leader. This loss has hit everyone, and I commend the strength and resilience of us all.

"As our Honorable Lady moves on, so too should we. She continued the work of our foremothers, leading and enforcing rules that kept us safe and united. Now, we must take the strength we have all built up and use it to forge ahead. We will continue her work and the work of our ancestors to ensure that our people prosper and can live happily. This is my promise as I inherit her station.

"My sisters, this is a sad time as we grieve, but so too is it a time we celebrate. We celebrate a life that accomplished much and which allows us to accomplish more. Our Honorable Lady loved you all. Let's press forward and live on in honor of all that she has done for us."

Hiei marveled at Asako's talent for concise, powerful monologues. He could practically feel the hope and determination in the air. Not only had she evoked emotion in a crowd of closed off apparitions, but her words themselves had been brilliant. She had effectively laid the groundwork for progress by framing it as honoring their late leader's death. She was truly amazing.

* * *

"Honorable Lady, it is improper for you to be living so far from your people. You belong in the council's main house."

"So long as you bar Hiei's entry, I shall continue to live in the outskirts," Asako replied. "Are you going to continue to argue with me in regards to him?"

The elder bristled and said, "Why do you continue to deny our traditions?"

"Because our traditions are holding us back from progress. He has lived here with us for five months and nothing has happened. Several villagers have become friends with him and the majority are content with his presence. They are curious about the land below, where our village can go."

"Idiot! The land below? The land of violence, murderers!"

Hiei's patience had run out for the time being. He was so sick of the way the older women spoke to Asako, even now that she was their leader. He spoke up in an even tone that did not mask his bitterness, "Don't prattle on as if this is a village of saints. I very distinctly remember several members of the council attempting infanticide."

The elder blanched, mouth opening and closing without any words coming out. Asako gave him a small smile. Turning back to the woman, she said, "I see that this will be an ongoing problem. Tomorrow in the meeting of the council I have a proposal that will settle things once and for all. Until then, I am going back to the cabin with my intended, considering the battle it seems I'd have to fight to bring him to the home which is rightfully mine."

Asako turned, took Hiei's hand in hers and strode away, leaving the elder behind. He knew the gesture was a show of defiance, but found he liked it anyway. Even when the center of the village was behind them and the buildings had thinned out, she kept her fingers locked with his. They had garnered a few looks as they walked, and Hiei felt both self-conscious and pleased. The open show of affection was a bit awkward, but in a way, he liked that she was openly claiming him.

As they neared the cabin, she broke the silence between them. "Why don't you like border work?"

"It's not that I dislike it," he answered slowly. "I just don't actively like it. It's… dull."

"What do you like?"

He was quiet for a long time, considering the question. They reached the cabin, settled inside, and began preparing dinner before he finally answered lamely, "I like fighting."

Asako glanced at him and was thoughtful for a stretch of time. "Is that a part of your conviction to maintain your status as Mukuro's second?"

"Yes, that's part of it. The other part is that it's an easy way to maintain my status in the Makai."

Hiei watched the silver haired woman continue to cook, though the vacancy in her eyes suggested she was deep in thought. He tossed some salt into the pot she was tending when it became clear she wasn't present enough to remember seasoning and then nudged her aside with his hip. She handed over the spoon she was holding without a word. He finished cooking and scooped the stew they had made into bowls. She accepted hers and they sat together at the kitchen table. He began eating, though she merely poked at her food.

Finally, she looked up at him, her expression serious. "Depending on how things go, I may request another audience with Mukuro."

"What do you mean?"

"Tomorrow, I am making a proposal to the council to allow a village-wide vote on two provisions. Firstly, on continuing to forbid men from the village and disallowing your presence in the council's main house. Secondly, on expansion to land down below," Asako explained. "I can already guarantee the first vote will at least allow you greater access to areas of the village, but I am also confident the villagers will be willing to lift the rules regarding absolutely no male visitors to the village. The second vote I am going to really have to put some work into securing. But if I can succeed, I plan to make another bargain with Mukuro."

Hiei's brows rose in surprise. "What will you offer her? She won't willingly give you land."

"Well, I must follow through on our agreement to become part of Alaric. We do not need her funding as I think it best to maintain our self-sufficiency. However, we can offer our expertise in healing and medicine making to her guard and her army. You know that our skills are much more convenient than a doctor's," she replied.

The fire demon was thoughtful for a moment. "She will indeed be quite enticed by the volume of healers you would be offering."

"It also opens up another avenue for trade and taxes."

Hiei hummed in contemplation.

"Plus, you'd be able to return to her services if I am in Alaric, right?"

"Right," he nodded. A smirk spread slowly across his lips. "Have I ever told you how impressively intelligent you are?"

She gave him a small but bright smile and said, "No, but please feel free to do so."

He chuckled and shook his head in amusement.

"I must admit, I'm surprised the first vote went through," Hiei commented, looking around his new lodgings. "I never thought the women of the ice domain would ever allow contact with men. And here I am, there loathsome Forbidden Child courting their Honorable Lady and staying with her in their council's main house."

"I hope we won't be here very long. The work really begins tomorrow when I go out and speak with the villagers about opportunities down below. I need to convince them that isolationism is obsolete. Then I'll have to speak with Mukuro, and-"

"You're going to worry yourself grey," he teased, wrapping one arm around Asako's waist. His free hand threaded through her silver hair affectionately. "Take the win, at least for tonight."

Asako laughed lightly. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

"Of course I am. And continuing on that trend, I think we need to fool around a bit in the bedroom of the Honorable Lady. To celebrate the lifting of the ban, of course."

"Naturally," she smirked. All the same, she took the hand that had been toying with her hair and led him down the hallway.

* * *

A/N: Much gratitude for the continued support.


	21. Chapter 21

Hiei would never tire of the feeling of Asako's full lips moving against his. His teeth pulled lightly at her bottom lip before sucking on the tender flesh. Her fingers, which were threaded into his hair, tightened their grip. He growled his approval and gave her another quick kiss before moving his lips to her neck. His tongue swept across her skin in swirls. Asako's breath hitched as his teeth scraped the side of her neck. The fire apparition moved to her ear, placing a kiss beneath it before returning to her neck. The hand which wasn't buried in his hair clutched at his shoulder.

He pulled away, allowing them both a moment to breathe. Crimson eyes roamed her flushed face, lingering on her swollen lips. Her pupils were dilated, sapphire eyes darkened with arousal. Silver hair spilled across the pillow beneath her on the large bed. He'd noted vaguely that the bedroom afforded the Glacial Village's Honorable Lady was quite nice, but he'd backed her onto the bed without allowing much time to look around. Now he took a moment to appreciate the sizeable bed and comfortable bedding. He liked the way she looked pressed into the aqua duvet. Smirking, he closed the gap between them, capturing her lips again.

Asako met his tongue this time, growing more comfortable. Hiei tentatively moved a hand to her hip, holding himself up with his other forearm. The ice maiden didn't react, continuing to move her lips against his. He slowly slipped his fingers beneath the hem of her sweater, keeping his palm anchored on her hip. Her lips just barely paused but quickly resumed their movement. His hand remained stationary for a time as they continued to kiss. Eventually, Asako seemed to have gathered her courage and pulled her lips from his to brush them across his jaw, travelling toward his ear. Her teeth pulled at the lobe for a moment before she propped herself up and curled her tongue around the shell of his ear. He shivered involuntarily at the sensual feeling. Then her lips attached right behind his ear, suckling the skin. The fire demon forgot his mission for a moment, lost in the feelings she was eliciting in him. She had found a sweet spot he hadn't known about and it surprised him how she kept teaching him about himself.

Once he had moved beyond his surprise, he slid his hand further up her torso until his fingers lay on her ribcage and his palm on her abdomen. Asako's lips halted again, but for a full second this time. She didn't protest, however, and instead flicked her tongue against his ear again. He responded by moving his hand to cover her breast. With her lips so near his ear, he heard her sharp intake of breath.

"Is this okay?" he asked softly, pulling back to look her in the eyes. She seemed wary for a moment, before nodding. "You're sure?"

"It's you, so it's okay," she answered, more confidence in her eyes now.

He kissed her gently, trying to convey his appreciation for her words. Not only was she still teaching him about himself, but she could still catch him off guard with her genuine confessions and deep trust in him. For many years she had no control over her body, and everyone she came in contact with hurt her. Yet here she was, trusting him.

The kiss turned tender and slow. Hiei swiped his thumb back and forth over her nipple through her bra, feeling the nub respond to his touch almost instantly. He squeezed and massaged the globe of flesh in his palm, appreciating the perfect weight and size for his hand. Switching which forearm he balanced on, he used his left hand to tease her other nipple. She wriggled beneath him, so he pulled away and pecked the tip of her nose. Her face was still flushed, her pupils still dilated. The ice maiden offered him a small smile, which he returned, reassured that she was alright.

His lips fell to her collarbone, laying kisses along it from shoulder to shoulder, his hand continuing to knead her soft flesh. He decided it wasn't the day to move beneath the bra, but that was fine. She had found something he didn't know he liked, and he had pushed her out of her comfort zone with his touches. It was all good progress. Besides, just being with her was enough.

* * *

"Hiei, are you going to talk to her?"

"I have to," he sighed. "It's a miracle she's been here for two days and hasn't found out. I can't keep pushing my luck, and I don't want her to hear it from anyone else."

Asako nodded her agreement. "I can summon her here, if you'd like."

He shook his head. "I'll go find her and invite her for lunch."

"Alright," she agreed easily. "I'll be here taking care of some paperwork in my office then."

She stood from the table, clearing away her place at the table from breakfast. He sat there still as she made quick work of doing her dishes. Asako approached him again, surprising him when she leaned down and wrapped her arms around him. Her lips pressed tenderly against his temple and she said, "She's your sister. You are connected and she's loved you for as long as she's known she has a brother. I have no doubts that she will be relieved and elated to know her brother's true identity is someone she already knows, trusts and loves."

Hiei let his eyes fall closed, burying his face in her chest in a moment of weakness. She allowed him to, saying nothing more, simply offering her strength and support by embracing him tighter. Her fingers threaded idly through his hair, keeping him tucked into her chest. Slowly, his nerves and insecurities returned to a manageable level. Asako was Yukina's best friend. She knew the ice maiden well enough that he trusted her prediction that Yukina would accept him as her brother. With a deep breath to steady himself, the fire apparition pulled away. The silver haired woman placed a kiss on his forehead before exiting the kitchen.

He took care of his own dishes before grabbing his cloak and leaving the council's main house. Wandering the town, he stretched out his senses, looking for his sister. He found her in a field, playing with some of the children. For a moment, he watched her, happy to see her smiling and laughing. Eventually, she noticed him and greeted him with a wide grin.

"Hello, Hiei!" she said cheerfully. "How have you been?"

"Fine," he answered simply. "And you?"

"I've been well. It's nice being home for a bit, although I do miss being at Genkai's temple. It's so peaceful there, and there's always the chance that Kazuma or Botan or Keiko will drop by. Ah, but how is Asako? I haven't been able to speak with her since I've been back."

"She is busy, but doing well. We were hoping you'd like to join us for lunch, actually."

Yukina smiled again. "I'd love to! Until then, would you like to walk with me?"

"Sure," he nodded.

The twins ambled slowly around the village, Yukina updating him on the lives of those he had met back in the Ningenkai. He was surprised that the oaf was continuing with school considering Hiei never got the impression the human excelled in academics. Further surprise came when he found out that Keiko was going to school for business in the hopes of taking over her parents' restaurant someday. He pictured the woman doing something better suited to her headstrong, determined personality. Botan sounded like she was still an obnoxious, loud-mouthed dolt, Shizuru still a sarcastic realist. The fire demon added a comment here and there, but was content to listen to his sister talk.

"I'm really curious, Hiei," Yukina began, her voice becoming more serious. "How is Asako doing? Being back here, and her mother passing… This wasn't a place that was kind to her, and her relationship with her mother was complicated. I'm worried. She's always been able to shoulder so much, but there is a limit to the weight any one person can bear."

"It was hard for her at first, when it became evident that her mother was dying," Hiei replied honestly. "She dealt with a lot of feelings regarding the loss. But being back here hasn't been especially difficult for her. She deals with her past no matter where she is."

Yukina nodded slowly in understanding. She lifted her index finger to her lip thoughtfully. "It sounds like you really understand her. I'm glad. Asako has lived a difficult, painful, lonely life."

"We have that in common. I think it allows us an understanding of the other that many people just couldn't have," he admitted.

Yukina looked at him for a moment longer, as if searching for something, before her expression brightened. "I'm really happy for you both. And I have heard she is really making changes in the village!"

"Yes," nodded the fire apparition. "Male visitors are now welcome, though they are not allowed permanent residence at this time. Although, I think I would be an exception to the rule. Someday, that will likely change. Asako's goal is to allow any male who an ice maiden has chosen as her mate to live in the village.

"She is also working on relocating the village in its entirety. I think she has a good chance of making a deal with Mukuro work if she can convince the council and the villagers that assimilating into the Makai is the most beneficial path to take. Many seem to be curious about what the world below has to offer. I think she is going to propose that they move a sector of the village to Alaric on a trial basis. If they can become self-sufficient and if the new village proves safe and fruitful, it shouldn't be hard to convince the rest of the village to leave these harsh lands."

Yukina smiled once again, hope shining in her ruby eyes. "I knew that if anyone could change our people it was Asako. She is strong enough, intelligent enough and talented enough to get it done."

"She's pretty remarkable," he agreed. "I've never met someone like her. The closest is Kurama, but while he understands the political game, he's never been particularly good at playing it. And while he is undoubtedly strong, he has weaknesses which blind him and could be used to break him fairly easily."

Yukina hesitated for a moment before divulging, "I was speaking with some of the villagers who still oppose your presence. It seems that it isn't so much because you are male than because they fear you could be Asako's weakness."

"I can see why they'd think that," he allowed. "But Asako has been through so much which would have prepared her to deal with that. If someone somehow managed to finagle a situation where my well-being was used as leverage over her, I fully believe she would have the strength not to give in and the wherewithal to come up with an effective counter strategy."

His twin nodded, "Yes, you're right. I'm sure the last of the villagers who hold such concerns will see it that way, too, in time."

"It's about noon; do you want to head back?" he asked.

Yukina agreed easily and they set off toward the main house. When they arrived, they found Asako in the kitchen, tending to a pan on the stove. A spoon was held in one hand, a packet of papers in the other. Seeing her friend, the leader of the ice maidens turned her lips up in a hint of a smile.

"Welcome, Yukina. I'm glad to see you."

They exchanged a hug as Yukina echoed the greeting. As the women chatted, Asako handed Hiei the papers she had been reading. He glanced them over briefly, just enough to get the gist. It appeared to be a petition to recount the votes on the new provision allowing male visitors to the village submitted by the elders. He rolled his eyes, tossing the papers on the counter dismissively. They were fighting a losing battle, but that didn't seem likely to stop them.

The trio sat down to lunch, Yukina and Asako doing the majority of the talking as they traded stories of the goings on in the Ningenkai and Ice Domain. The entire time, Hiei fought back his nerves, knowing the time to talk was drawing ever nearer. Eventually, Asako began clearing the table.

"Ah, let me help, Asako," Yukina offered kindly.

"Actually, Yukina, I wanted to speak with you," Hiei found himself saying suddenly.

The ice maiden looked at him in surprise before returning to her seated position. "What is it, Hiei?"

"Well, I lied to you once."

"Oh?"

He nodded. "You asked if I had found your brother and I told you he died. That's not true."

"I had a feeling that he was alive," she nodded. "So why lie?"

He looked away uncomfortably. Asako sat beside him and placed a hand on his knee beneath the table. The gesture rekindled his conviction and he forged on, "For a long time, I couldn't tell you the truth. When I went to the Demon Doctor who gave me the Jagan, it was the deal he struck. I received the implant, but had to keep certain secrets. But I met him again in battle and won the right to be honest." He paused for another moment. Asako squeezed his knee. "I'm your brother."

Yukina's lips turned up and she beamed at him. "I'm so happy you're finally able to tell me! I've been wondering for so long, and I thought… Thank you so much, brother!"

Hiei blinked at her in surprise. Not letting himself relax just yet, he asked, "You aren't disappointed?"

"Why would I be?" she asked, tilting her head and looking at him with innocent confusion.

He could think of dozens of reasons, but he merely shook his head. Asako patted his thigh and then stood. "I have some more work to do, but if you're still here around dinnertime, Yukina, I'd love it if you would stay. I know your time here is short, after all. Regardless, you two enjoy the afternoon."

* * *

"How are you feeling about everything?"

Hiei blinked in surprise. Asako had wasted no time between him opening the bathroom door and entering their bedroom and posing her question. "Relieved."

The ice maiden sat down on the edge of their bed. Sarcastically, she drawled, "Always a man of many words."

"I'm sticking with that answer," he shrugged.

Asako hummed and said, "Well, I'm glad then. Relieved is better than regretful."

"How do you find the time to worry about me with everything else you've got going on?" he asked with a small smirk.

"You'd be amazed how many things I can worry about at the same time," she jested with an upward quirk of her lips.

Hiei chuckled and crossed the room to the bed. Asako looked up at him, one brow raised in confusion. Her eyes flicked down to the towel wrapped around his waist before quickly shooting up to meet his gaze. His right hand dropped to her left knee, pushing it aside so he could stand between her legs. She was now close up and at eye level with his chest, causing pink to dust her cheeks. The ice maiden leaned back slightly, tilting her head up to maintain eye contact.

In a voice that shook slightly, she questioned, "Hiei?"

He shot her a mischievous smirk before leaning down and pecking the tip of her nose. Her blush deepened and there was confusion in her eyes. The fire demon chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. His fingers combed through her hair slowly, and he felt her relax against him. Long lashes tickled his skin as her eyes fluttered closed. Her arms wound around his middle until her hands clasped at the small of his back.

"I'd like to think I can be a decent stress reliever," he muttered.

Asako nuzzled her nose against him for a moment before pressing her lips to his sternum. She reassured, "You are."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your plate is quite full."

The ice maiden pressed another kiss to his chest before laying her head against him once more. Her arms tightened around him and she replied, "Just keep doing what you're doing. Your support is immeasurably helpful, as are the friendships you have formed with some of the villagers. And if the vote goes well in a couple weeks, come with me to see Mukuro. And…"

"And?" he pressed.

"Let's have more moments like this… moments when you keep pushing me."

He settled his hand at the back of her neck, massaging lightly. "Pushing you?"

"Right now, being so near you when you're wearing…" she trailed off, and he could feel her face heat up. "And the other day, the way you touched me…"

He smirked in satisfaction at the memory. "Gladly."

Asako pressed her face into him harder, doubtless embarrassed. She was unbelievably endearing, and the fire demon couldn't help but hold her just a little closer.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews I received on the last batch of released chapters. I am so thankful for the feedback and relieved that things seem realistic and befitting the characters. I really do appreciate the feedback, and do apologize that I have stopped responding to individual reviews. Things have been sporadic for me still, and I have prioritized editing and , if review responses and conversation are something I should go back to, I can certainly try to make the time to do so, just let me know. Thank you again for your continued support.


	22. Chapter 22

"To what do I owe this visit, Hiei?"

The fire apparition refrained from rolling his eyes and merely said, "It is not a visit from me. I'm simply tagging along."

The orange haired woman looked down her nose at Asako, who stood beside him. "How do you keep worming your way into my meeting room?"

"I come regarding a deal we have, Lord Mukuro."

The address woman sat straighter in her seat at the head of the room. "Elaborate."

"I have taken leadership of the Glacial Village sooner than expected. I am prepared to sign over the Ice Domain territory as part of Alaric." Mukuro's mouth turned up greedily, doubtless thinking on her good fortune for the quick payoff. Her expression fell only a moment later when Asako continued, "However, I have also come in the hopes of further negotiation."

Mukuro glared at the ice maiden and sneered, "Are you truly so insolent as to ask more of me?"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't pretend that my previous proposal didn't behoove you. I am not in the business of striking deals that are not mutually beneficial. I was granted Hiei's temporary release from you service, and you are about to gain a population boost that will then increase Alaric's allotment of funding. Surely that does not grant ill feelings toward me," Asako replied, her voice polite but laced with annoyed sternness. "Likewise, I come to you with something that will benefit you and I equally."

"This new deal won't negate our prior arrangement?" Mukuro asked skeptically, looking for some sort of underhanded twist to Asako's words.

"No. I propose an expansion on that arrangement, in fact."

Mukuro was silent for a stretch, contemplating the ice maiden. Finally, she said, "You may make your proposal, but hearing it is by no means accepting it."

Asako smirked wryly. "Understood. Your directness is efficient and appreciated."

"I dislike flattery."

"Don't confuse honesty with such a sentiment."

Mukuro's expression shifted to one of amusement. She glanced at Hiei. "You chose a woman with backbone, Hiei."

With a chuckle, he asked, "I hope that doesn't surprise you."

"This conversation can wait. I'd prefer to hear out this proposal."

"I will keep it concise and simple," Asako nodded. "The Glacial Village will still become an Alaric territory. However, I propose that the village moves into actual, unsettled Alaric lands with a small base of soldiers for protection. In exchange, your army and guard have our healers at their disposal. Soldiers can stay in the village for treatment of anything from minor to intensive injuries and ailments. We will also provide balms, salves and ointments to your travelling companies. In short, land and protection for advanced healing treatments and supplies."

Mukuro's face was carefully unreadable as she thought over Asako's words. She crossed the room to the blown up map of the Makai hanging on the wall, her eyes scanning Alaric's territory. When she had been silent for a full five minutes, Asako added, "Although I cannot speak to his future plans, I should point out that my presence in Alaric makes it much easier for Hiei to continue his service to you, should he choose to do so."

The older woman spun around to look at Asako. Hiei could practically see the thoughts flying through her mind. Finally, Mukuro said, "I have an amazing team of doctors. Hiei can attest to that."

"Yes, and after hearing of the amazing work they've done, I feel gratitude for them," Asako replied, looking at Hiei meaningfully. Turning back to the former demon lord, she said, "However, our healing is considerably more efficient."

She conjured an icicle to her right hand. Lifting her left, she drove the ice straight through her palm. Blood dripped down her hand, over her wrist and trickled down her forearm. The ice maiden pulled the icicle back out, causing the blood to flow more quickly. With a flourish of her hand, the icicle disappeared. Her right palm hovered over her injured left and soon glowed silver. In moments, the skin was entirely healed, the only evidence of her injury the streaks of blood.

"Certainly impressive," Mukuro allowed.

Hiei took Asako's left arm in his hand, continually bothered by her ability to inflict damage on herself. Lifting her forearm to his mouth, he flattened his tongue to her skin, letting the metallic taste wash over his tongue. He paused to swirl the muscle across her wrist a bit more than necessary, then quickly licked across her palm. Satisfied that there was no reminder of the self-inflicted wound, he released her arm. The women had continued to haggle as he completed his task, but he hadn't cared to listen. He could already tell Mukuro was considering Asako's offer seriously. He tuned back in and deduced that they had been discussing the gradual relocation of the Glacial Village, beginning with a small group that would begin building alongside a new company of Alaric soldiers.

"You can train them during the build, Hiei, before returning to some work on the borders."

"Fine," he agreed, glad that the arrangement would mean more time with Asako. "Can I suggest that a sector of the company which I train there be the one which will be stationed at the village? It will make more sense. They will get to know the people of the village, the terrain, and Asako, whom I assume they will need to interact with regularly as the Honorable Lady."

Mukuro nodded. "Yes, that seems most efficient. If you could stay overnight, I can present to you tomorrow some options regarding the land you may choose for the relocation. Once that is done, you can begin your work as soon as is feasible on your end."

"Thank you, your haste is appreciated," Asako said gracefully. "We have already held a vote and the ice maidens are willing to make the move as soon as I decide. I should think we could begin construction within a week of closing our agreement on the land. I will merely need to organize the first group to move, begin planning the new village's layout and prepare a member of my council to lead temporarily in my absence in the current village."

"And you will only need a week for that?"

Asako gave a small, sardonic smile. "We are a very efficient people."

Mukuro appraised the silver haired woman for a moment before deciding to leave her statement alone. "So it seems we have a deal."

"It seems we do."

"No terms involving Hiei this time?" Mukuro asked with a hint of derision in her voice.

Asako shook her head. "His business is his business. He can take up his arrangement with you if he feels the need."

Mukuro chuckled and turned to the fire apparition. "You may want to convince her to do your negotiating for you; she's much better at it."

"Yes, I've certainly figured that out," he smirked, glancing proudly at his intended. "I have tamed a dragon from the pits of the Reikai, but what she is able to accomplish is beyond anything I could hope to in the social-political sphere."

"Don't gush," Mukuro taunted. "It's unbecoming of you."

Hiei found he didn't care, even if her words were true.

* * *

Three weeks flew by after Asako and Mukuro finalized their agreement. Hiei spent his days training and directing the new soldiers as they helped the first group of ice maidens build their new village from the center out. He lucked out with a crew of fairly bright, motivated apparitions, so although his days were long, they were good. The dark cloud of impending border patrol loomed over him, but at least training recruits always took a couple months.

More pressing were his growing worries over Asako. She was busy from sun up until hours after sun down. Dark circles were showing up beneath her eyes and she seemed to be losing weight. The weight was especially concerning to Hiei, knowing how resistant her body was to gaining it back. He had taken to bringing her lunch wherever she was amongst the construction to try to combat that. Each night, he made it a point to get dinner ready either before she got home, or within an hour of her return, so she would eat before getting too involved in her office. One recruit jokingly teased him, calling him a good housewife – a mistake he came to regret and which no other recruit repeated.

Perhaps more embarrassing was that the ice apparitions had taken notice.

"Asako."

The silver haired woman turned from the recruit she had been giving instructions to, expression brightening when she saw him. She turned back to the recruit, finishing what she was telling him. Hiei waited as patiently as he could, given his natural lack of the virtue, and was not displeased when Mana approached him, a small child on her hip. He had met her daughter, Rikona, on several of his visits to the book shop. She had developed a strange affinity for him that he wasn't able to be annoyed by, though he sure tried.

"Figured we'd see you if we found the Honorable Lady. You're like clockwork, Hiei," Mana greeted with a knowing grin.

"I don't know what you mean," the fire demon lied smoothly.

Rikona looked at him with wide, innocent green eyes for a moment before unwinding her arms from around her mother's neck and reaching for him. With a quick glance at Mana to ensure it was okay, Hiei took the child in his own arms. She didn't say anything, but smiled at him. He couldn't help but meet it with a small one of his own, before returning to the conversation at hand.

"Don't think we haven't all noticed you're commitment to taking care of Asako," Mana continued. "Those of us here are already among the most open-minded, which is a shame. Surely some of the more unsure apparitions would be much soothed by proof of how much you care for our leader."

"I'm not putting on some kind of show," he sneered.

Mana gave him a kind smile, "I know. We know. That's why it's so great to see. She expends so much to care for us; we like to see you care for her."

Hiei rolled his eyes. "Don't look too deeply into things that you begin seeing what's not there."

"We're doing no such thing," she assured.

A tiny finger poked his cheek, effectively distracting him. He looked at the young girl for a moment, brow lifting. She just smiled at him and continued poking.

"Am I really so interesting?" he asked.

Mana offered, "Well, you are the only man she has ever seen up until this relocation, and you certainly don't look like any of us otherwise, either."

Tiny hands began curiously fingering the bandana wrapped around his forehead. He obliged her, pulling the fabric off. Crimson eyes watched intently as her young face scrunched up in confusion. She ran her fingers lightly over the closed Jagan, clearly at a loss for what it was. Slowly, hoping not to startle her, Hiei allowed the third eye to open. Rikona looked surprised for a moment, and he instantly regretted his decision to feed her curiosity. He was going to hastily replace the bandana when she giggled.

"Pretty!" she announced.

Hiei wasn't sure what was more surprising, that she thought his Jagan was pretty, or that she had deemed the situation worthy enough of speaking, a rare occurrence for the young ice maiden. Mana laughed, and Hiei was startled when Asako asked, "He is pretty, huh, Rikona?"

The young girl nodded enthusiastically while Hiei shot the silver haired woman a glare. She merely smiled, probably because the look held no real malice. He snapped, "I am no such thing."

"Asako," Mana greeted with a mischievous smirk. "We were just talking about what a good man you have to take care of you as he does."

"Actually, we were clarifying that Mana shouldn't delude herself into seeing things," Hiei corrected with a scowl.

"I see," Asako nodded. "Yes, I'm glad you set Mana straight. I'm only into ill-tempered tough guys, after all. Although, I am hungry... It would be nice if I had someone who cared enough to have brought me lunch."

Hiei clucked his tongue in annoyance. With a dirty look, he warned, "Don't project your sentiments on me after I say this, woman."

"Say what, Hiei?" she asked coyly.

"I have something for you in my pocket," he answered begrudgingly. "Just take it before I decide to keep it for myself."

Rikona began running her tiny fingers through his hair then, and Hiei noticed Asako stifle a chuckle with the back of her hand. He shot her another glare before resolving to ignore her. His resolve immediately threatened to crumble as Asako slipped her hand into the pocket of his cloak and trailed her fingers over the curve of his hip. He fought the urge to send her another scathing look, especially when her index finger travelled a circuit over the bulb of the bone. She finally pulled the pouch from his pocket, thankfully deciding not to risk acting too suspiciously in front of Mana. With a small smile, she plucked a berry from the pouch and popped it in her mouth.

"What did your sweet, thoughtful fire demon pack you today?" Mana asked, a wicked grin on her face.

"Watch it," Hiei snarled, his patience just about gone.

Asako bit her lip, holding back a smirk, but then admonished her friend, "Don't tease so much, Mana."

"Just making an observation," she shrugged. "After all, I can't see how Rikona could be so attached otherwise."

The child blinked her jade eyes at her mother before turning back to Hiei. Her small fingers ran across his closed Jagan again before her palm flattened on his cheek. She looked confused again and asked, "Warm?"

He was thankful for the excuse to ignore the women again. In response to her question, he shifted her to one arm and raised the hand not supporting her weight, letting a small flame flicker to life in his palm. He watched her eyes widen in innocent fascination. She glanced up at him briefly, asking, "How?"

"He's one of us, but different, Rikona," Mana explained. "You, the Honorable Lady and I are ice and he is fire."

Asako presented her own palm, conjuring a shard of ice to show the child. She placed her hand beside Hiei's saying, "We're all different, and that's a good thing."

"Us?" the toddler asked, still confused.

Mana nodded. "Yukina is his sister, just like Auntie Nao is my sister."

"Oh," she nodded. She pointed at Asako. "Sister too?"

Asako looked torn between amusement and discomfort. Hiei found himself firmly rooted in the latter at the implication. Mana, on the other hand, gave a hearty laugh much to their chagrin.

"No, honey, the Honorable Lady is not Hiei's sister. They just really care about each other. In fact, if I was a betting woman, I'd say one day we'll have an Honorable Lord."

"Friends?" Rikona asked, trying hard to understand the relationship she probably didn't even have the vocabulary to describe.

"Sort of," Mana allowed. "Come on, we best be getting home. I'll try to explain it better where we won't embarrass them too much."

"Thanks, Mana," Asako nodded.

The other ice maiden teased, "I don't need the Honorable Lady upset with me over the discomfort of her intended."

"I used to find you tolerable," Hiei sneered with distaste.

"Cut the bull," Mana rolled her eyes. "We're friends, but you're too macho to act like it."

The fire apparition scoffed at the declaration. Asako and Mana traded goodbyes and Mana took her leave. As she walked away, Rikona peered over her mother's shoulder, made eye contact with Hiei, and waved. He gave her a small smile in return, somehow still unable to be cold to the young apparition.

"Yama help us if we ever have a daughter," Asako said, reaching for his hand and interlocking their fingers.

"Why is that?" he asked, returning the hold on her hand.

"She'll have you wrapped around her finger."

"Ridiculous," he spat reflexively. Asako rolled her eyes and gave him a small smile. Neither said anything else, both knowing that he actually saw the truth to her words.

* * *

A/N: This is one of my absolute favorite chapters in this story, and I hope you enjoyed it, too. Thank you for the continued support; I'm truly happy and grateful for the interest in this story and for any feedback.


	23. Chapter 23

"So the next wave arrives tomorrow?"

"Yes,"Asako answered, dropping to the bed in exhaustion. "After I welcome them and ensure the next phase of the building has begun, I'm taking a couple days off."

Hiei lay beside her on the bed. "Are you really?"

The ice maiden nodded. "The council insists. I must say, I'm looking forward to it. I'm so tired."

He could hear the desperate fatigue in her voice and see it in her limp limbs. "I'm glad. I don't like seeing you like this."

"I know, and I'm sorry," she said earnestly, turning her head to look up at him. "I'm sorry you've been caring for me."

The fire apparition looked away, embarrassed as he admitted, "I don't mind. Especially because it means we have time to see each other, at least at night."

She hummed her agreement. "I'm going to miss you once you begin travelling again."

He ran his fingers through her hair affectionately, trying to convey that he shared the sentiment. Crimson eyes roamed over her comparatively small figure. She had definitely lost a little more weight despite his best efforts. And although she was strong and he had seen her hold her own in battle, he couldn't help but notice how her build compared to his own. He had never noticed nor cared before; his attraction toward her had little to do with her weight or musculature and hadn't for a long time. But they would be parting ways soon for the first time since meeting nearly a year and a half ago. He resolved to speak with the soldiers he was almost finished training about taking special care not to allow any harm to befall her.

"Well, we'll have a few days at least."

"The trainees?"

"They will be busy building," he shrugged.

A small smile spread across her lips.

* * *

"Aren't you supposed to be taking the rest of the day off?" Hiei asked, eying the ice maiden stretched out on the couch with a thick packet of papers in her hands.

"This isn't related to the village," she defended, not looking up from her reading.

The fire demon lifted a brow before crossing the room. He scooped her legs up, taking a seat before lowering her extended limbs to lie across his lap. "What is it then?"

"I've been researching some things," she answered absently, clearly absorbed in her task.

Never a patient man, Hiei pressed, "About what?"

Asako barely glanced at him. "In my limited spare time, I've been researching demon mating and Makai history."

One brow lifted in surprise. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it wasn't that. "Why?"

"Mostly because of you," she replied simply.

"Me?" The ice maiden merely hummed in affirmation. Once again irritated, Hiei asked, "Can you stop for a second and explain?"

Sapphire eyes blinked a few times to refocus them and she tossed the papers to the side. "Sorry, Hiei. I was on a roll and forgot myself."

"I don't like being ignored," he frowned. Realizing how childish he sounded, he quickly urged, "Explain."

"Well, you can imagine my knowledge of mating is pretty limited given what I am. An ice maiden groomed to lead is the last ice maiden they wanted to know about mating and men."

"Why are you looking into it now?"

She leveled him with a serious look. "I'm coming closer and closer to a place where I can comfortably commit to you. I figured I should be prepared."

"Oh." He blinked, surprise growing once again.

"I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. Things are working out, and I can see that in time my people will have really progressed. So if you'll still have me, you can. And truthfully, I want you to be mine."

He nodded slowly, his own thoughts on the subject rising. "I want you. I just haven't seen the light at the end of my tunnel yet."

"Well, that's why I'm looking into Makai history."

Now the fire apparition was truly perplexed. "You're terrible at explaining yourself."

Asako simply gave him a small smile. "I'll explain it better once I figure things out." Hiei opened his mouth to argue, but Asako changed topics, "While you're home, I just want to spend time with you. I know it probably won't be long before Mukuro calls on you to go on missions again."

He was effectively silenced by her use of the word "home." Was this, the beginnings of the new Glacial Village, his home? The fire apparition couldn't help but stare at her as he worked over this new train of thought. Asako looked confused by his sudden serious silence, but took it in stride as always. Her fingers slid beneath his, entwining them and pulling his hand into her lap. Hiei's body relaxed as her index finger traced the lines of his palm and smoothed over rough callouses from years of handling a sword. Yes, he concluded, this was home.

* * *

"I take it Mukuro has given you your first border patrol mission since you just finished training the recruits?" Asako asked with a frown.

Hiei nodded. "Am I that transparent?"

"To me."

He couldn't find it in him to be unsettled by her words. Instead, he supplied, "I leave tomorrow morning."

"Did she allow you the night out of kindness?" she asked wryly.

"I requested it," he admitted. "She wanted me to begin more immediately."

Asako sighed, returning to the vegetables she was chopping. "I had hoped perhaps she would come to resent me less now that we have a sort of working relationship."

"She at least respects you now," he shrugged. "I'm not sure it's that she resents you, either."

"Of course she does," scoffed the silver haired apparition. "She sees all of this as me taking you from her."

Dark brows rose toward his hairline. "Taking me from her? You can't take me from someone I don't belong to. And she doesn't have feelings for me in that way."

"I know that," she said impatiently. "But surely you can see why she assumed you would end up mated to her?"

"You're implying it's obvious?"

"Yes. Status, Hiei," Asako declared. "She is of incredible status, which would benefit you immensely. And she would have a young, well-known mate that she trusts, a rarity in her world, if I assume correctly. Besides, it would solidify your position in Alaric for the next several hundred years. Not to mention what could come of your combined gene pool. It makes enormous logical sense. Plus, didn't you tell me that you never really had interest in women before me? Honestly, I can't blame her for assuming it would eventually just happen."

"I suppose," he allowed begrudgingly.

"That aside, I had hoped it wouldn't be this way with her."

"What way?"

Sapphire eyes rolled at him. "She's clearly going to try to meddle and make things difficult for us."

"It sounds like you don't think especially highly of her, either," Hiei pointed out.

Asako scoffed. "My personal feelings do not cloud my perceptions. She's already trying to do it, requesting your immediate departure for her sake."

"That's the way she is," he shrugged. "You're looking into things too much."

The leader of the ice maidens shot him a glare and began stirring the contents of the pan she was tending more aggressively. "I don't appreciate your unwillingness to consider my take on things."

"Mukuro is a comrade; I don't appreciate your implications."

"I understand that she is a comrade, Hiei, but can't you see at least the potential for truth in what I'm saying?"

"I can't," he shook his head. "That's petty and dramatic."

"Excuse me?" she snapped, doe eyes narrowing dangerously. With a frustrated huff, she quickly finished cooking and pulled the pan off the burner. Hiei watched her turn the heat off and then turn on her heel to exit the kitchen.

"Are you not eating?"

"Not hungry," she answered curtly.

"Asako," he grimaced. "Are you really doing this right now?"

"It certainly appears that way."

"Right before I have to leave for a month?"

"Yes."

The fire demon flitted to the doorway, blocking her way. "What the hell?"

"If you felt Kurama was trying to drive a wedge between us and I defended him, what would you do? How would you feel?" she asked, perching her hand on a quirked hip.

"The fox knows his place," Hiei growled, immediately irritated at the idea of his best friend trying to move in on his intended.

"That's not how hypotheticals work," she snapped.

He frowned and said, "I don't like hypotheticals. You are reading into things too much where Mukuro is concerned. Regardless, I am not courting her and have no desire to. It's you or no one, so don't worry about it."

"That may have been sweet if you weren't being absolutely infuriating," Asako griped.

"I'm being infuriating?" he asked heatedly. "Asako, we are about to go our separate ways for the longest stretch of time since we met, and you're picking a fight."

Sapphire eyes narrowed at him. "I'm not picking a fight. I made a comment about something I've observed and explained my feelings regarding it, and you pushed it aside and called it dramatic and petty. You don't have to agree with me on all things, but I do expect your respect."

Seldom in his life had Hiei felt truly put in his place. She was right; he hadn't been willing to hear her out. Stifling his embarrassment, he muttered, "I meant no disrespect."

"I know you didn't mean to be an asshole, it just happened naturally," she shot back hotly.

Hiei bit back a rude comeback, knowing her words were coming from hurt feelings. "I don't want to argue anymore tonight."

"Arguing isn't what I want to be doing, either."

"Can we agree to pick this up some other time, then?"

Asako sighed and gave a single nod. She approached him and slowly wrapped her arms around his waist. He settled his left hand on the small of her back and used his right to sweep her hair out of her face.

"Don't let those incompetent soldiers slack off. They're to protect you."

Asako chuckled lightly. "They're to protect the village, Hiei. And they're not incompetent; you trained them."

"All the same. And watch out for Ryota. His eyes wander in your direction more often than is acceptable," the fire apparition cautioned gruffly.

Asako raised a brow and smirked at him mischievously. "Ryota… he's the cute redhead with the dimples, right?"

Hiei returned her teasing with a venomous glare. "Perhaps I should be more concerned about your eye wandering."

"Well, I will be lonely," Asako replied. With another smirk, she continued, "You'll just have to leave me satisfied enough to hold me over until you come back."

The hand on her back slowly slipped downward to squeeze her bottom. With a cocky grin, Hiei said, "I'll be sure to do that."

* * *

Hiei gazed out over the landscape as the sun sank behind the trees. It had been three long weeks and he missed Asako. He had not only grown accustomed to living with her, but he enjoyed welcoming her home and doing things as mundane as talking about their days. Sleeping wasn't the same without her beside him, without her hair tickling any of his skin it could reach. Eating once again felt lonely. He even found his mind wandering sometimes speculating at to which oversized sweater she had donned for the evening. He wouldn't admit to anyone that such simple things made him happy and that he was really missing those things about her, but he certainly felt it.

The fire apparition had taken to aimlessly walking around town in the evenings once he had finished his duties for the day. It kept his mind off their separation at least somewhat, though it did nothing to stop him from thinking of her. It's not that he was falling apart at the seams without Asako; he was just unaccustomed to being without her. As he passed by merchant carts, every so often something would catch his eye because it reminded him of her. He had gotten a few bundles of herbs he knew would be beneficial for her balms and some spices that would be difficult to come by in the new Glacial Village. Hiei had also encountered a merchant that sold glassware and bought a simple paperweight. He had been passing by the stand without giving it much notice when the light hit it. Immediately, the color reminded him of her sapphire eyes and he couldn't resist. He'd never tell her that's what drew him to the object; he'd probably just make a comment about her office being disorganized and that would be that.

Otherwise, Hiei spent his time focused on the job or with the few acquaintances he had in town. He had worked in the area many times before and knew a good number of people. Now that he was back in town, he sometimes would get roped into getting a drink with someone he knew or something similar.

"Hiei?"

And, as it would seem, he also spent his time dealing with old flames.

* * *

A/N: Another thank you for your support. Please don't forget to reach out if you'd like for me to continue PMing in response to reviews.


	24. Chapter 24

"Midori."

"It's been a while since I've seen you around here," the woman greeted.

"I've been busy."

"That's a shame. You know what they say, all work and no play…" She looked at him coyly from beneath her lashes.

"That's presumptuous," he commented, nose slightly wrinkled.

Midori was a rather attractive woman with long black hair and dark brown eyes. She was something of a spitfire and when Hiei had first met her and she expressed interest in him, he was beyond willing to bed her. They had shared a number of trysts that were admittedly some of the most enjoyable he'd had. However, he hadn't sought out her company in nearly two years, and had honestly sort of forgotten about her.

"Well, I didn't think I was the only woman you've ever been with, but I did think I was the most fun," she winked, ever the flirt. "Are you staying in town?"

Hiei certainly wasn't going to indulge her by agreeing. "I'm staying for one more week."

"Perhaps I'll have to extend my own stay then."

"I wouldn't bother on my account," he said directly.

"As I remember it, it wouldn't be a bother at all. It'd be my pleasure to-"

The fire demon interrupted, "I've no intentions of spending time with you."

Midori's face fell for a moment, before she smiled again. "Oh, come on, Hiei, don't be such a stick in the mud."

"Don't change your plans," he reiterated, turning to walk away.

The dark haired woman caught his wrist. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered honestly.

"Why are you rejecting me?"

Hiei hesitated. He hadn't yet been faced with a situation of potentially disclosing his courtship to someone outside his small group of comrades or the Glacial Village. He suddenly felt uncomfortable; did he make it public knowledge? Did he keep it to himself? The fire demon wondered what would become of his reputation, if people would think he had grown soft by growing to care for a woman. He mentally berated himself for his indecision; he wasn't ashamed of Asako. She had risked everything by being open to her people about him and there was no excuse for his moment of cowardice.

"I'm courting."

Dark eyes blinked a few times in surprise. "You're… really courting?"

Hiei nodded. "I have no intentions of being unfaithful to my intended, so don't adjust your plans based on me."

"Wow," Midori muttered, clearly still taken aback. "I'm torn between offering my congratulations and utter disappointment. I would have kept you longer last time we met if I'd known it was to be our last."

"Take it however you want," he shrugged, not really caring. "Safe travels."

"Thanks, you too," she echoed absently. As he turned to take his leave, she seemed to snap out of her shock at least a bit. "Take care of her. She must be pretty amazing to have attained the unattainable."

Though irritated with the woman, he couldn't disagree with her.

* * *

"Sir! Sir!"

Hiei ignored the obnoxious voice until he discovered it was directed at him, realizing this only when an apparition approached him at the bar. He recognized him as a recruit he had trained, Kaoru. The fire demon nodded in his direction, hoping the young apparition would leave him alone.

With no such luck, Kaoru took the bar stool beside Hiei and said, "Funny meeting you here, sir. Doing work for Lord Mukuro?"

Hiei fought the urge to snap at the soldier and instead contented himself with a simple, "Yes."

"Are you still traveling with Miss Asako?"

"No; she is needed in her village."

Kaoru hummed sadly. "That's a shame. It seemed like you worked well together. Got along and all that." Hiei took a sip of his drink in lieu of responding. Kaoru chuckled awkwardly and then pressed on, "So what brings you to a bar of all places, sir?"

The dark haired male grimaced behind his cup. Truthfully, he was out to get drunk after receiving a letter from Mukuro earlier that day. He had planned on returning to the new Glacial Village the next day to await his next assignment. However, something urgent had come up and Mukuro needed him in the southern region of Alaric. With his speed, he could have made it back to the Village that night, but then he would have to leave early in the morning. As much as he wanted to see Asako, leaving so soon would be hard on both of them and it wasn't worth it. So he was staying one last night in his rented room to set out toward the south the next morning for another month long assignment. The prospect of not seeing his intended for another entire month had quickly allowed the urge to drink to settle in.

Evasively, he answered, "Tough day."

"Sorry to hear that, sir," Kaoru offered earnestly. The younger apparition then decided to fill him in on how the other recruits had been doing, despite what Hiei thought was clearly expressed disinterest. He gave up trying to shake off the soldier, instead half listening as he downed a few more drinks. Finally, Kaoru cut himself off and observed, "Wow, sir, you mustn't have been kidding about it being a bad day."

"I don't kid," Hiei pointed out, glad for the hazy feeling from the alcohol finally sinking in.

"Of course, sir," Kaoru chuckled. More seriously, he grinned and said, "Well, your luck may be turning around. There's a real pretty lady down the bar who's eying you."

Hiei turned in the direction the soldier indicated and saw there was indeed an attractive woman looking his way. She flushed and looked away when she saw he had turned toward her. He merely shrugged and turned back to the glass in front of him on the bar top.

"Shy is cute," Kaoru commented, taking a sip of his own drink.

The fire apparition didn't grace his unwanted companion with his own opinion on what was attractive in women. He went back to partially listening to the other demon prattle on before Kaoru suddenly stopped speaking. Hiei became aware of two things: firstly, the woman from before had moved to take the seat next to him and secondly, he was pretty drunk to not have noticed her presence sooner. He ignored her nonetheless, glaring into his half drained glass.

"I've not seen you two around here before," the woman spoke up in a soft voice. "What brings you to our small town?"

Kaoru waited a moment, clearly waiting for Hiei to answer, since it was he who had really caught her attention. When the fire apparition remained silent, the younger male said cheerfully, "I'm a soldier for Lord Mukuro. My company is just passing through."

"Oh wow," she replied, not sounding terribly interested. Hiei could feel her eyes on him. "And you?"

"Work," he grunted evasively.

"Interesting," she nodded. "What sort of job would have you around here?"

Hiei closed his eyes briefly in annoyance. He was not drunk enough for this. Taking it upon himself to fulfill the role of wingman, Kaoru piped up, "Hiei does a lot of work on the border for Lord Mukuro. He also trains new army recruits from time to time. He's her second."

The fire demon heard the woman's surprised intake of breath. "You're Hiei Jaganshi?" Without giving him the time to reply, she continued quickly, "It's a genuine pleasure to meet you! I have long wanted to, I just never thought it would happen. Your performance in the tournament for Demon King was breathtaking."

"I lost," Hiei replied shortly.

"We've never seen anyone go toe to toe with Lord Mukuro like you did, though," she insisted earnestly. "We heard stories about the fights with Lord Yomi and Lord Raizen, and then someone who we had only ever seen in the Dark Tournament rose up and…"

She trailed off, shaking her head as if she couldn't find the right descriptors. Then, as if remembering herself, she cleared her throat and said, "My name is Kina, by the way."

Hiei hummed disinterestedly, taking another sip from his drink. Kaoru stepped in again, "A pleasure to meet you, Kina."

"If I'm not being too forward…"

 _You are_ , thought the fire demon, draining his glass.

"… I'd love to maybe show you around town tomorrow, Hiei. It may be small, but there are plenty of hidden gems. Particularly when it comes to where to get food and-"

The sound of coins being slid across the bar top to the bartender cut the woman off. Hiei stood and looked at her for the first time since she sat beside him. "No thanks. My intended wouldn't be happy to hear I kept the company of a woman who is clearly attracted to me. If you want to play lovesick tour guide, ask him."

Hiei jabbed his thumb in Kaoru's direction and turned to exit the bar without another word. He made it outside before he heard quick footsteps following him.

"Sir! Intended, sir? Do you mean… Miss Asako?" Kaoru asked, voice and expression surprised.

Hiei shot him a glare in response.

Slowly, a smile broke out on the young soldier's face. "I knew it! Some of us thought there was something more going on there!"

"Don't make this into a bigger deal than it is," he snapped.

"Of course not, sir," Kaoru replied quickly. "It must be hard to be away from her then. Is that why you were at the bar?"

Hiei sighed, "You ask too many questions."

* * *

 _Asako?_ Hiei reached out telepathically.

 _Hiei! How are things?_ came her response, quiet due to the physical distance between them.

 _I'm fine. I wanted to see how you've been doing._

 _I'm doing well. We've started building out the village for the arrival of the second wave of villagers, so I've been busy. What about you?_

 _It's dull work as usual, but things are going smoothly, so I shouldn't complain._

 _You've been keeping safe then?_

 _Very,_ he replied in an amused tone.

 _That's a relief. I miss you all the same, though._

Hiei flushed, thankful he was alone in the small cabin he was staying in. _Agreed._

He could sense her laughter at his awkward response. _Two more weeks though, right?_

 _If all goes according to plan_ , he confirmed. _I hate to cut things off, but I can only hold the connection for another minute or two. It's a lot harder when we're so far apart._

 _Don't strain yourself, Hiei!_ she chastised. _I'll be glad to see you in a couple weeks. Take care of yourself, okay?_

 _Don't worry, I will,_ he assured. _You too. Don't overwork yourself._

 _I'll do my best. I miss you._

 _You too. I'll let you know if anything changes._

He let go of the connection with a gasp. He lay on the bed, collecting himself for a moment. It was much more tiring to hold a conversation over such a distance than it was to evoke the Jagan's powers of remote viewing over vast distances.

There was a pretty easy solution, though, one that had been nagging at the back of his mind since his time away from the new Glacial Village had been extended. He had been thinking a lot about the benefits of mating. The connection they would share would make communicating telepathically nearly effortless. He wouldn't worry about her wellbeing, as he would be able to feel if she was alright while he was away, and the same would hold true for her. He would also be marked, putting an end to his old flings and new women propositioning him without all the awkwardness and irritation.

Mating was an incredible commitment, but that wasn't really what was holding him back. He could no longer envision life without Asako, so it wasn't at all nerve-wracking to consider living out the rest of his days with her. The prospect made him happy, actually. What was holding him back was that he still wasn't sure what Asako would be committing herself to. He couldn't do border patrol forever, but what else would he do? Would she have to spend the rest of her life wondering when and if he would come home? Or if he remained Mukuro's second, and eventually rose to lead Alaric as Lord, what would she do? He couldn't ask her to leave her people, but he wouldn't be able to lead Alaric from the new Glacial Village. Asking her to commit to uncertainty and a future she may not be happy with wasn't an option.

The fire apparition vaguely thought it would be nice to talk things through with Kurama, but quickly scrapped that idea. The fox already thought that he was blinded by his emotions and unable to see reason, even though Hiei was quite confident of the contrary. If his best friend wouldn't take his word on the amazing progress Asako had made with her people, why would he take any of Hiei's other assertions and concerns at face value? Not that he was angry with the red haired demon; it was hard to believe without seeing. All the same, until Kurama could be brought back onto his side, talking with him would be useless.

He considered reaching out to Yusuke, but wasn't overly fond of that idea either. The Spirit Detective had refused to label or acknowledge his blatantly obvious feelings for his woman for years and still hadn't made much tangible progress with her other than bedding her every so often. Besides, Yusuke had a much more lax, disorganized way of living. He did things and sorted out the repercussions later, and that was exactly what Hiei wanted to avoid.

Yukina could be a viable option, but if Asako had to teach herself about matings, he could only assume Yukina wasn't well-versed in what a mating entailed. He wasn't going to seek council from Mukuro either, especially when she seemed so disapproving of his courting the new leader of the Ice Maidens. The fire demon sighed, closing his eyes and nestling back into the pillow. He had to figure things out on his own.

 _Well, I'm not really alone anymore_ , he had to remind himself. For the majority of his life, he had been alone, or at least didn't have anyone to depend on. That began to change when he befriended Kurama and then Yusuke and eventually Kuwabara. He felt another shift after meeting Mukuro. But with Asako, it was different. Kurama had his family in the Ningenkai, Yusuke had his woman, Mukuro had an entire region of the Makai to lead, but he was Asako's. For the first time, he belonged to someone and was that someone's top priority. She had her people to lead, surely, but from the beginning she had been determined to leave them if they couldn't accept him. No one had ever held him in that regard, no one had cared for him like that. It was something he wasn't sure he would ever fully get used to.

Contented with where his train of thoughts had led him, the fire apparition gave himself over to sleep.

* * *

A/N: As always, thank you for your support and continued interest in Hiei and Asako's story.


	25. Chapter 25

"Ah, Hiei, it's been quite a while!"

The fire apparition internally groaned; he didn't really want to be distracted from the task at hand. Mustering his patience, he replied, "Hello, Chiyo."

The kindly middle aged woman smiled at him and said, "There's actually been talk around the village of your absence. You were missed. An amazing change, I'd think, in the… what? Ten months since you and The Honorable Lady first came back to the Village?"

"It's been that long?" Hiei blinked in surprise.

"Just about,"Chiyo confirmed with a nod.

The fire demon stood, mulling this revelation over. If her words were true, he and Asako were only a few months away from having known each other for two years. How had so much time already flown by?

"Anyway, I assume you're looking for my sister?"Chiyo asked.

Shaken from his thoughts, he nodded. "Any idea where I can find her?"

"They're working on finishing up the bones of what will become our first real residential neighborhood. It's north of the town square."

"Thank you," he replied. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "What time does her day typically start winding down?"

Chiyo laughed lightly and said, "Don't wait for her to be done. Go see her. You must have missed her and she has definitely missed you. I've hardly ever seen her actually express herself, but she was decidedly glum for a few days after she heard your assignment had been extended. If it wasn't at her expense, I would've been really happy that she had opened up a bit."

Hiei wasn't sure how to reply, and was thankful when the woman waved him on, urging him to get going. He nodded once in parting before making his way in the direction she had indicated. He was greeted by several more ice maidens as he passed through the village square, but thankfully none stopped him to talk. Soon, he found himself amongst a row of what would be about fifteen small cottages. He admired the work the soldiers had done, pleased that they were keeping up a good pace. The fire apparition walked down the row until finally he saw a woman up ahead with a familiar head of silver hair.

In spite of himself, his pace automatically quickened. As he grew near her, she turned, clearly having sensed him. Her face lit up in a genuine smile and she began closing the gap between them, leaving behind the soldier she had been talking to. With the distance narrowed to only about a foot of space separating them, she breathed, "Hi."

"Hi," he echoed.

There was a split second of hesitation before Asako threw aside decorum and wrapped her arms around his middle. Hiei immediately returned the embrace, holding her tight against him. She pressed a kiss to his shoulder, nuzzling the spot for a moment.

"I missed you," she muttered.

"I missed you, too."

She held him a moment longer before pulling away. Hiei looked over her shoulder at the surprised expressions on the faces of council members and soldiers alike. Undoubtedly, they had never seen a display of emotion even close to that from Asako before. She followed his gaze and scoffed.

"I hope you've all had your fill of staring?" she called, her voice even and perhaps slightly amused.

Every apparition who had frozen to watch their exchange jumped, remembering themselves and the task at hand. Hiei watched as they all hastened to finish installing the last of the windows in the final cottage.

"I hope they aren't that cooperative because you've become a leader by intimidation or something," Hiei jested.

"Not at all," she replied. "I have somehow managed to retain the respect I've built from them. Of course, this is still the first wave of villagers and my younger council members; I knew they would be the most loyal and progressive."

She turned her sapphire eyes up to him. "I don't really want to talk about that, though. Once this is done, I just want to go home with you."

"Gladly."

* * *

"When will the next wave be arriving?"

"The end of the week," Asako answered. She pushed a peapod around in her bowl. "Will you be gone on another mission at that point?"

"Yes, I only have two days before I need to leave for the northeastern border to check in on the workers there. I'll be gone for three weeks, head straight to the far eastern border for another three weeks, but then I've asked for a week off. My comrades are hosting something of a reunion," Hiei explained. Crimson eyes gazed at her with only partially concealed hopefulness. "Do you think you'd be able to join me?"

Sapphire eyes rolled up toward the ceiling in thought. "Six weeks from now… the third wave will have been here for two weeks and we'll be two weeks from the fourth wave… Chiyo should have a handle on the proceedings by then, so as long as she's willing to hold things down here for a short time…" Asako looked back across the table at the fire apparition, who sat with several beansprouts clenched in chopsticks only halfway to his mouth. With a smile, Asako decided, "Yes, I'll join you. Especially since you're clearly so eager for my company."

"I'm not eager," he snapped reflexively, lowering his eyes to his dinner and crunching agitatedly at his beansprouts. Asako pressed the back of her hand to her lips for a moment before returning to her own dinner, allowing his retort to slide. After a moment of silence and without meeting her gaze, he continued, "The fox said something, and it allowed me to have a sort of realization."

"Oh? Back when you visited them a few months ago?"

"Yes," he confirmed. "He said that he wished he had gotten to know you better during the mission, since he considers me a friend and you are now involved with me."

"That makes sense," Asako nodded. "I was glad to get to know Kuwabara considering his feelings for Yukina."

"Well, he and the detective are two of my closest allies…" the fire demon admitted, though he couldn't bring himself to call them friends aloud. "And the oaf is a comrade that deters more than he helps, but I suppose a comrade nonetheless. I can easily count the few creatures in this world to gain my trust and favor. You are my intended, and I've realized that your getting to know them is important to me."

"If they mean something to you, then they mean something to me," Asako replied with a small but genuine smile. "I would be glad to know them better."

"Alright," he replied gruffly, uncomfortable about acknowledging his feelings toward his comrades. Somewhat desperate to change topics, he asked, "Have the soldiers been behaving themselves around the other ice maidens? Around you?"

"They've been exceedingly helpful," Asako nodded.

"That's not what I meant," he frowned, recalling a teasing comment Asako had once made about a certain recruit and his apparently endearing dimples.

The silver haired woman fought back a chuckle but obliged, "All have been perfectly polite. I doubt they would dare step a toe out of line, particularly in my case, knowing what punishment you will bring down on them."

"I never set a punishment," he grumbled, once again embarrassed by her teasing.

"I'm sure you said enough to fuel their imaginations." He couldn't argue that. Asako continued,  
"I appreciate it, though. For the others, any sort of flirtatiousness would be awkward and overwhelming at this point. It's better for them to get used to men in general before going any further."

"Makes sense," he nodded. "That isn't what I had in mind, but I'm glad you appreciate the effort."

Asako winked at him playfully. "I know what you had in mind. You needn't worry, though. Another's best efforts couldn't change the fact that you're the only one I want."

Now thoroughly flustered, Hiei got up quickly from the table to begin doing dishes. Although he truly appreciated her words, he appreciated even more the quiet laugh that escaped her lips, even if it was at his expense.

* * *

"Two days is a rather short span of time when you think about it," Asako sighed.

"Agreed."

Crimson eyes watched his fingers trail up and down her thigh, admiring the skin exposed by her cream colored knit sweater. Her hand rested in a loosely clenched fist against his sternum while her head rested on his bicep. There wasn't much space between them, to Hiei's liking. He wouldn't be able to hold her for another month and a half.

"Sometimes, it's hard to keep going with everything I need to do here when I know that I could be with you had I not chosen to return to the village," she confessed in a whisper.

He could hear the shame in her voice and laid his palm flat on her thigh. "When you first told me you planned on going back, I thought it a fool's errand. But now, I really think this is what you were meant for. Everything you've gone through has prepared you to succeed at this undertaking. You are changing an entire people for the better, Asako."

Heat bloomed on her cheeks at his praise. "Thank you."

"I can't do border patrol forever; this is only a temporary situation."

"I know," she sighed. With slightly hurt doe eyes peering up at him, she asked, "But don't you still find it hard to be apart?"

Hiei felt his own cheeks flush. His hand slid around her thigh, tossing her leg over his hip so he could press his body flush against hers. With her head tucked beneath his chin, making it impossible for her to see the embarrassed expression he wore, the fire apparition answered, "You are my intended mate, the only person I've ever wanted to tie myself to. Of course it's hard."

"I really care about you, Hiei."

He pulled her in tighter and nuzzled his nose into her hair. She responded with a kiss to the hollow at the base of his throat. It was a spot they both liked; she because she may very well be the only person he'd ever willingly allow access to such a vulnerable area, and he because allowing such access to a vulnerability was easily one of the most intimate things he'd ever experienced. A slight shiver ran up his spine at the contact and her lips formed a smile against his skin.

In a slightly husky voice, she murmured, "I can't wait to mark you."

The fire apparition immediately felt his blood rush south at her declaration. In a somewhat strained voice, he replied, "I look forward to it, too. I'm still not ready yet, though."

"I know," she assured gently. "That's okay; it's you or no one."

Something in his chest tightened at the familiar words. He wanted to mark her more than ever, but it wasn't the time. He had lived a selfish existence up until she carved out a place in his life, and he wasn't going to continue that streak by committing her to uncertainty. For one of the only times in his memory, he truly wanted to do right by someone, and he was determined to follow through.

* * *

The next three weeks flew by. The northeastern border squad was an absolute, blundering mess, so Hiei had his hands full from sun up until sun down. There was no time for socializing or running into old flames, thankfully, and he was so occupied by work that he didn't have time to miss Asako until he returned to his lodgings at night. They had agreed that he would reach out to her telepathically every Thursday, and that had been working nicely. Even if only for five minutes, each enjoyed the contact with the other and the assurance that all was well.

From the northeastern border, the fire apparition headed directly to his next assignment. He wasn't willing to tempt fate by heading back to report to Mukuro directly. Rather, he sent a soldier to act as his messenger, giving him a detailed written report to pass on to the former demon lord. There were some minor problems with the eastern squad, but after the first week, things were pretty routine. And routine meant that there was less to occupy his time. The fire demon found himself once again missing Asako, but also looking forward to travelling back to the Ningenkai with her to see his comrades.

 _The third wave has just arrived, so things are really hectic._ She sounded tired even over the telepathic connection, Hiei noted. _I probably should have set the next few waves as far apart from each other as I did the first and second, honestly. I'm worried about the speed at which we'll have to be planning out and constructing new residential areas._

 _Even in the couple days I was back, I saw the soldiers improving their speed as they got the hang of things. If you keep the same home design, they'll be able to keep pace._

 _I hope that'll be the case. I don't want to alter my schedule at all. The elders and the more resistant villagers will take that as a shortcoming and a weakness._

 _It won't come to that,_ Hiei reassured confidently. _Those soldiers aren't complete incompetents; they will get faster, and with each wave of newcomers, there will be more hands on deck to get things done._

 _Yes, you're right. I just worry._

Hiei smirked fondly. _I know you do. If I wasn't concerned over what havoc the stress could be wreaking on your body, I'd find it more endearing._

 _I'll be fine. I am well versed in handling stress._

 _All the same. Have you been eating alright? Sleeping enough?_

 _I eat the same as when you're home, but I have probably lost a little more weight,_ she admitted. _I am sleeping, some nights better than others, but enough overall. Next time you're home, could you leave behind a shirt or something? I think having your scent nearby would help._

 _Fine, so long as I get something in return._

 _I'll work on something._

 _Alright. I'll be back a week from Saturday, then we can head to the Ningenkai Sunday, if that's doable for you?_

 _That should be fine. Chiyo was kind enough to agree to stand in my place for the week. In fact, I think she's rather happy to do it. Our mother never really believed in her abilities, and she always concerns herself with my wellbeing, so this allows her to kill two birds with one stone, really._

 _I'm glad; you will be leaving the village in good hands._ Hiei grimaced as a pain throbbed in his temple. _I think I'm going to have to let you go._

 _That's fine; don't push yourself! I look forward to seeing you._

 _As do I. Take care of yourself._

 _You too._

He let go of the connection and flopped back onto his pillow with a small but content smile. In less than a week and a half, he would be reunited with his intended and his closest comrades.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews I received on the last chunk of uploads. I'm happy to see some familiar names, and I also really appreciate the guest review as well. I'm really relieved and happy to hear that the story has stayed interesting and also that the characters have remained changing and developing in a realistic way, rather than becoming static or unbelievable. I appreciate any feedback, and thank you for your continued support.


	26. Chapter 26

"Asako, Hiei!" Yukina's cheerful greeting met the couple's ears almost as soon as they emerged from the wooded area on Genkai's land.

The silver haired woman gave her friend a small but warm smile. Yukina seemed surprised for a moment, before wrapping her friend up in an embrace.

"Hey, Shorty!"

Hiei's brow twitched in annoyance. "Watch it, you incompetent."

"Same old bad mood," grumbled the taller male.

"Please, come in. Kurama is here as well, and we're just waiting on Yusuke and Keiko," Yukina said, effectively shutting down an argument before it could really begin. "Plus, I'm sure you'll want to settle in after the trip."

"Thank you; I think I'll take the opportunity to do that," Asako replied evenly.

Hiei simply followed the women inside. He and Asako slipped straight down the hallway that would lead them to the bedrooms. The ice maiden glanced at the door to the room she had previously stayed in as they walked by, and Hiei found himself pausing, hand on the doorknob to his room. Awkwardly, he asked, "Is my room okay, or would you rather stay in your old one?"

"Freshly away from Minato's, I had a lot of nightmares in that room," she answered quietly.

Chest clenching, the fire apparition pushed open the door to his room and stepped aside to allow her entry. She made quick work of pulling the clothes from her bag to prevent any wrinkling. When she pulled open a dresser drawer, she was surprised to see that things had already been adjusted so that half were Hiei's and half were things she had left behind.

"Yukina is amazingly thoughtful," she commented with a small smile. She added the things she had pulled from her bag to her side of the drawer, save a pair of grey leggings and a cream colored sweater. Hiei turned away as the ice apparition began shedding her kimono in favor of the more casual clothes. As she changed, she spoke up again, "I'm going to really try to be myself this week. I know I was pretty formal with Yukina, and I can already feel myself going into some kind of… automatic shutdown, but I'm really going to try all the same."

The fire demon couldn't help but turn back to look at her. She looked troubled, despite the conviction in her voice. He wrapped his arms around her, stopping her in the process of pulling on the sweater. He could feel a particularly thick scar beneath his palm on the side of her rib cage. "Don't worry, okay?"

Slowly, she nodded. "Okay."

* * *

"I'm glad you were able to come visit, Hiei," Yukina said earnestly. "Since my trip back to the Glacial Village, I've wished we could see each other more often."

"It's good to be here," he agreed. "It seems you didn't inform the human idiot of the conversation we had at that time?"

"No, I was unsure if you'd want me to speak to anyone else about it. Besides, I don't want to give either of you more reasons to argue."

Hiei nodded once in understanding. "Well, it's up to you who you talk to and what about."

She gave him a thankful smile. "Alright then. Is it safe to assume Kazuma is the only one who hasn't figured it out?" He nodded, and she returned the gesture, unsurprised. Her eyes roamed elsewhere in the room, stopping somewhere off to the side. "Asako and Yusuke still get along well."

Hiei followed her gaze, finding the silver haired woman engaged in a card game with Yusuke and Kuwabara. Keiko and Kurama were seated nearby, casually observing and conversing. The two idiots seemed frustrated, arguing with each other as usual. Interestingly, it seemed they were both convinced that the other was helping Asako cheat at the game. She seemed confused, though slightly amused, at their antics, signified only by a quirked brow. The fire demon smirked.

"How do you figure, Urameshi?!"

"You and your stupid gentlemanly code probably wouldn't allow you to beat a girl, so you must be helping!"

"No way! I'm across the table and you're next to her; you're the one helping her!"

Asako tried to interject, "Wait, but-"

They ignored her, their argument escalating in volume. Excusing himself, Hiei flitted from Yukina's side to Asako's unoccupied one. His sudden presence startled the two arguing boys. Lazily, Hiei drawled, "Why are you both so convinced she is receiving help?"

"We just taught her this game and she's beat us at every hand!" Yusuke explained.

With another smirked, the shorter male asked, "And it didn't occur to you that it's due to her superior skill and intellect?"

After a pause, Kuwabara grumbled, "Jerk… always insulting us…"

"I've been sitting here the whole time," Kurama finally spoke up. "I haven't witnessed any foul play."

"Neither have I. Stop being sore losers," teased Keiko.

"Fine… Asako, want to arm wrestle next?" inquired the Spirit Detective.

* * *

"It's a pleasant change to not hear you two squabbling at every turn," Genkai quipped from behind her teacup.

Hiei shot the old woman a mild glare. "She was infuriating back then."

"You were worse."

The fire apparition rolled his eyes. He sat on the railing of the back porch, drinking tea with the psychic. Yusuke and Kuwabara were sparring while Yukina and Keiko pretended to watch while actually chatting between themselves. Kurama and Asako were tending to the garden and talking one-on-one for what was really the first time. Hiei couldn't help but be somewhat nervous; what would he do if two of the most important people in his life disliked each other?

"Asako is really going out of her way to win the rest of you idiots over, huh?"

Hiei turned to look at Genaki more fully. Coolly, he replied, "What makes you say that?"

"It's obvious how much effort she's putting into being social. She stayed here long enough; I know she's not this open with people. I expected some change despite her attaching herself to your emotionally stunted ass, but this is impressive."

The dark haired male nodded and conceded, "It was her goal to try to be herself this week."

"Is she succeeding at that?"

"To an extent," he answered honestly. "Better than I expected."

"Then don't worry about what Kurama will think of her."

He should have known this was all coming down to the old woman reading him too well. Despite the fact that they both knew her observation to be astute, he said, "I'm not worried."

"Cut the crap."

Hiei merely rolled his eyes and went back to covertly watching the conversing apparitions.

* * *

The air at the temple was always so pleasant and clean, untouched by death like the winds of the Makai or the pollution of Ningenkai cities. Hiei found himself sitting peacefully on the back porch long after the others had moved indoors for the night. Crimson eyes scanned the line of the woods, an old habit, but the demon was comfortably relaxed and relieved of the burden of socialization.

He turned when he sensed Kurama step out on the porch behind him. The fox stepped up to the railing, leaning both arms on it and looking out across the grass as well. The two friends remained like that for a while. Finally, Kurama said, "She is a great choice of mate."

Hiei was relieved; although he would have stayed with Asako if Kurama hadn't approved of her, it was much better that he could retain his best friend and his intended. "Agreed."

"Particularly for you," he added.

"I know."

"We talked a lot about her position in the Glacial Village. She's truly intelligent and savvy both in politics and in people. It seems she's a true leader. As unbelievable as changing the Ice Maidens is, I can see how she is uniquely capable of doing so."

With a triumphant smirk, Hiei replied, "I told you she could. I'm not a fool, Kurama."

"I didn't say you were," he replied with a playful grin. "I only pointed out that you have been known to act on your emotions."

The fire demon scoffed, but couldn't deny the point. "Hopefully you were less obnoxious when you spoke to her."

"I assure you, I was on my best behavior," Kurama chuckled. More seriously, he asked, "Was this the last step before mating? Her truly joining the group?"

Hiei shook his head. "This wasn't even really a necessary step. I want her and nobody was going to change that. I'm only waiting because I need to figure out where my life is going before she becomes permanently tied to it."

Kurama nodded his understanding; they had spoken in the past about the longevity of border control versus the benefits of his position in Alaric. "That's surprisingly selfless of you. I've always known you to take what you want."

"She is worth more than that."

"Agreed."

* * *

"Do you drink?" Hiei asked with a raised brow and thinly veiled concern as Asako brought the cup of sake to her lips.

"I've never had the chance to do it recreationally," she answered after a few sips.

Well, he certainly couldn't stop her after hearing that response; he wouldn't be another force in her life to rob her of experiences.

"Man, did you ever have fun before you met us?" Yusuke asked, topping off her drink already.

"Not really, no," the Ice Maiden replied honestly. She looked around when the group was silent at her response, sapphire eyes blinking innocently. "What?"

"I guess I meant that as a joke," Yusuke answered honestly. "I didn't really expect there to be any truth to it."

"Oh," she frowned, seeming troubled that she had made things uneasy.

Hiei slid closer to her under the guise of reaching past her for the sake bottle. "Don't mind Yusuke; he's an idiot who doesn't think before he speaks."

"Right, because you're a goddamn master of the spoken word, Hiei," Yusuke quipped, catching on to the other male's diversion away from the tension.

The others joined the banter, and Hiei was relieved to see Asako become more at ease once again. In their signature fashion, Yusuke and Kuwabara were drunk within the hour. Keiko, also quite tipsy, scolded them for their belligerence. Yukina fell asleep, perpetually a lightweight. Kurama looked on and inserted increasingly playful jabs at their drunken friends as his own cheeks flushed. Hiei was only a bit buzzed, and wondered how Asako was faring; her cheeks were a little rosy, but she had settled mostly for silently looking on as the night unfolded.

"Come on, Yusuke, we're going to bed!" Keiko finally ordered as the boy nearly toppled over into a lamp as he demonstrated for the hundredth time how Genkai used to make him perform one finger hand stands during his initial training.

"Yeah, I should probably move Yukina to her room; that couch isn't the best for a full night of sleep," Kuwabara managed as he shakily stood from the table. He managed to steady himself more before scooping up the ice maiden and heading out toward her bedroom. Keiko slung one of Yusuke's arms over her shoulders, letting him lean on her for support. She bid the others goodnight before dragging him towards their room.

"I'm going to have some tea and then go to bed. Want any?" Kurama offered.

Hiei glanced at Asako, who shook her head in the negative. He answered, "We're just going to go to bed."

"Alright," Kurama nodded. "Good night. And don't forget that I have rather good hearing."

Hiei rolled his eyes at the teasing nature of his intoxicated friend. He shot back, "Right, I forgot what a voyeur you are. We'll refrain from indulging your perversions."

Kurama snorted, then headed off to the kitchen. Hiei and Asako stood as well, making their way to their shared bedroom. The fire apparition noticed that her gait was less even than normal, but she still didn't seem too affected by the alcohol. Hiei allowed her entry first, shutting the door behind them. When he turned, he was surprised to see her looking at him with a wide grin. Wordlessly, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the bed. She let go only long enough to slip beneath the covers before latching on once again and tugging him toward her.

"So you are drunk," he stated, climbing into bed beside the ice apparition.

"I don't know, maybe," she shrugged, still smiling. "All I know is I just really want to cuddle you."

Heat immediately bloomed on his cheeks, but this went ignored as the silver haired woman wrapped both her arms around one of his and interwove their legs. She nuzzled her nose against his bicep affectionately before releasing a content sigh. With his free hand, he swept some hair from her face.

Hiei thought for sure she had fallen asleep, and was on the verge of slumber himself when she muttered, "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, Hiei."

Spurred on by courage derived only from the unlikelihood of her remembering anything in the morning, he replied, "You're the same for me."

* * *

Hiei awoke when he felt Asako stirring beside him. He watched her eyes close tighter before she let out a light groan and forced her eyes open. She blinked against the light several times before seeming to adjust to the brightness.

He pressed his lips to her temple briefly before greeting, "Morning."

"Morning," she echoed, turned her head to place a kiss to his jaw. "So that was drinking, huh?"

"It was," he confirmed with a light chuckle. "Remember anything?"

"Only bits and pieces," she answered. "Did I do or say anything embarrassing?"

"No, you barely spoke after a couple drinks," he replied.

"Good, I'm glad."

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Mostly fine," she said. "A little nausea, but nothing too bad. I think I'm going to go take a shower."

"That may help," he agreed. He watched her get out of bed and gather the things she would need to take to the bathroom.

With her hand on the doorknob, she mentioned, "I'm glad I've been as much of a positive force in your life as you have in mine."

Before Hiei could respond, the ice apparition had slipped from the room. He crossed his arms beneath his head and stared up at the ceiling, a blush firmly on his cheeks.

* * *

The week came to an end far too quickly. Hiei wouldn't admit it aloud, but he did always enjoy the time spent with his comrades, and it had been even more enjoyable with Asako there as well. She had grown closer with all of his friends, finding easy companionship with Yusuke, amusement with Kuwabara, and enjoyable conversation with Kurama. Hiei was glad that she fit in and had been accepted into the group of misfits that had become his makeshift family, and that she had accepted them as well.

It was also nice to be with Asako, removed from her ever demanding role as leader of the Ice Maidens. He knew that her role had been particularly demanding because of all the changes and flux within the village, and that he really couldn't fault her for being unavailable when his own job took him away completely for months at a time. There was some disappointment, however, when they reentered the new village.

Women welcomed them as they walked by, and Hiei noted that there were definitely some faces he hadn't seen in a long time. He recalled that the next wave of villagers had arrived in his previous absence, and he hadn't really spent any time in the village before heading to the Ningenkai. There were a few elders in the mix now, and their air of critical observation was evident. Asako ignored it, politely greeting them and asking each woman how she was settling in. When one voiced a complaint, she easily suggested a solution and promised quick action on making the appropriate changes. She really left no room for further dissatisfaction.

They unpacked in companionable silence, then went their separate ways; Hiei to the market and to make dinner, and Asako to do a walkthrough of the newest section of the village and to check on the building progress. At the market, he ran into Saki and Ume, with whom he took a few minutes to catch up with. He didn't mind doing the mundane tasks; it was something of a relief to have one more day to do inconsequential things before his next assignment.

Asako came home only a little while after he finished preparing dinner. They sat down together, and Asako complimented him again on the company of soldiers he had trained. Evidently, they had exceeded her expectations on the construction, which was excellent considering the recent arrival of some elders and the next wave being due in a short time. He listened to her contently, relishing in her company.

"So… you leave again tomorrow, right?"

He nodded with a frown. Anticipating the question to come, he supplied, "Eight weeks on, three days off this time."

Crimson eyes watched her posture stiffen and her lips form a tight line. He braced himself for an argument, positive there was anger bristling beneath the surface, but it never came. She made a clear effort to simply enjoy the remainder of the time they had together, for which he was glad. He was grateful for her patience and for one more peaceful night together.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for your continued interest in this story.


	27. Chapter 27

Hiei spent the next eight weeks in a central portion of Alaric. He returned to the new Glacial Village for a brief reprieve, and was off on a three month assignment beginning in the east, then following the border to the southernmost point of the territory. A weeklong break was shortened to four days when he was summoned to an urgent meeting that turned out to be less urgent than he'd been expecting. Evidently, there were rumors of an uprising of rebels who wanted to do away with returning the humans who stumbled across the border back to their world, but they were so poorly organized it was hardly effortful to shut them down.

After that, he travelled with Mukuro for two months, checking in on various companies and attending meetings with major village leaders across Alaric, with Yomi and other Gandara representatives, with Hokushin and a begrudging Yusuke, and finally with Enki.

He demanded a week off to make up for the nearly endless work, and was granted that time. It was actually a great comfort to return to the village that had become his home. However, he could tell that there was something off with Asako. It seemed like something was bothering her, but she didn't seem willing to talk about it. Plus, he was truly loath to ruin their brief reunion by pushing her to talk, especially considering that even though he was back in the village, the time they shared was limited by her duties as its leader.

She was preparing for the final wave of Ice Maidens to arrive the following week. It was truly amazing; in under a year, an entire people will have been mobilized, relocated, and reestablished in a new territory. He wondered about the extent to which the stress was getting to her. She had decidedly lost a bit more weight in his absence. Most of the villagers seemed happy in their new home, and enjoyed working in tandem with the soldiers stationed nearby. It was their first interaction with the outside world, and most really seemed to feel that the change was positive. There were still some elders who made their displeasure at the loss of the old ways known, but they were outnumbered.

On the evening before his departure on a three week assignment, Hiei joined Asako for her rounds around the building site of the second to last neighborhood. While everyone was still in construction mode, Asako wanted to build one more neighborhood of homes, as their population was always going to be expanding.

"What's next after the last of your people arrive?"

"I expect I'll be in meetings and holding votes for the first couple weeks. The final wave is going to be the last of my youngest council members, and the most resistant older women. They're going to stir the pot. But once that's sorted out, the next thing will be carving out a place in the trade for us," she answered. They continued down the street, Asako inspecting the work that had been accomplished that day. "We'll easily be self-sufficient as is – we did, after all, survive on that floating iceberg – but the whole point of this move was to integrate with the Makai. Maybe it's a pipe dream, but I want this village to someday have enough importance in its contributions to Alaric's population and economy that we will actually become involved in the larger political sphere."

"I can see that happening," he replied earnestly. "Mukuro said herself that you are an impressive negotiator."

"Mmm," she hummed, somewhat stiffly.

"Have you decided on who you are going to appoint as your new council members? There are… two that have retired from their positions, right?"

"That happened last month," she replied, stopping and approaching one of the cottages. She touched a window, finger gliding over a small scratch in the pane. The tip of her finger glowed blue, and she carefully passed it over the imperfection again, filling it in. Once she finished, she added, "I asked Ume and Mana to fill the seats."

"They'll fit in well with where you want to take things."

"Agreed. Ume is a bit more traditional and Mana is as rogue as I am. It will balance things out some while moving more progressive."

There was a terseness in her voice signaling that whatever tension she was dealing with was rising again. Deciding to finally push things, Hiei asked, "Asako, what's been upsetting you lately?"

Her shoulders tensed, but her face remained calm. "Honestly, I don't want to discuss this until I've sorted things out for myself first."

"Are you alright?" he pressed immediately. "Your health? Your-"

Asako cut him off quickly, assuring, "Yes, I'm alright. Nothing is wrong with me; don't worry."

He looked at her for a long moment before his chest tightened with a new concern. "Are _we_ okay?"

The silver haired woman gave him a small, but genuine smile. "I care about you as much as I ever have."

Although that was reassuring, it didn't escape him that she skirted around the question.

* * *

Hiei returned three weeks later, having been given four days off. Asako seemed to be in better spirits around him, but he could see she was exhausted. Her predictions about the elders making one last push to return to their traditions had come to fruition. She worked tirelessly on appeasing their concerns regarding the new village, and on outlining plans for the future. Village wide meetings were held to air concerns and to pose ideas on future proceedings. In the end, they held a vote which had evidently just occurred the day before the fire apparition's return.

"So what was the vote on exactly?" he asked, adjusting his arms around her. He shifted slightly in his seat, content with the position they were in. They sat on the back porch, looking out over the garden. There were two comfortable wicker chairs, but they perched on the same one, Asako with her bottom wedged between the arm of the chair and his thigh, her legs draped over his. It was a comfortably cool evening, but she seemed glad to be engulfed in his naturally warm presence.

"The options were to return to the Ice Domain immediately, to reopen this conversation in one year, and to finalize our stay here indefinitely and hand power more fully back to the council effective immediately."

"What did you push for?"

"I pushed for what we got," she answered with a pleased smile. "We will stay for now, and hold another vote in year."

He took one of her hands in his, idly running his thumb across her knuckles. "Why push for that, rather than finalizing things now?"

"Partially because it is the comfortable middle ground, but mostly because if people aren't resigned to being here in perpetuity, they will go into this experience with fewer predeterminations about life away from the Ice Domain. Once they see that this is better, the way of the future, in a year people will feel more confident about committing to staying and will hand the power back over to the council with more trust."

Hiei smirked and teased, "Shockingly manipulative, Honorable Lady."

"Politics," she shrugged.

He nuzzled his nose against her temple before placing an affectionate kiss there. "Not that your position will ever be an easy one, but once this final vote is held and the aftermath dealt with, do you think things will ease up a bit?"

She was contemplative for a moment before replying, "I should think so."

"I'm glad," he said, giving her a meaningful look. "This much work isn't good for you. You've lost more weight, and you're exhausted."

She looked at him sharply and snapped, "Don't even talk to me about working too much."

The fire demon was visibly taken aback. "Where is this coming from?"

"It's coming from barely seeing you in the seven months that have passed since meeting your friends. Not that we saw much of each other before then, but, Hiei, it's getting worse."

He went immediately on the defensive. "Asako, this is my job as much as your role as leader of your people is your job. You work all the time, too."

"At least with my job, we could still grab a meal together, could still talk even if only briefly at night, could still sleep in the same bed," she replied, her voice increasing in volume and irritation. "We still saw each other _every day_. Now, we go weeks, months!"

"This is hard for me, too," he snapped, eyes darkening with his flaring temper.

"I didn't say it wasn't," she hissed. "Think; have you ever had so little down time in this role? Has it always been this endless?"

He was thoughtful for a moment before saying, "This is unusual, but things are changing. There are-"

Asako huffed and pulled away from him entirely. "Are you really going to make excuses?"

"Are you really still going to tell me that this is maliciousness on Mukuro's part?"

"Are you still not going to hear me out?"

"No, I'm not."

Asako shook her head slowly, an unreadable expression on her face. "I truly do not know where to go from here."

The fire demon's chest tightened painfully at her words. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that this hurts. I know you and Mukuro are close, that you share a unique bond. But you and I… I thought I meant enough that my feelings and opinions would be heard and valued. And this isn't working, being apart like this. Including this break, we will have seen each other eighteen days in seven months. That's not a relationship."

"Asako, you know I don't want things to be this way, but for now, they have to be," he replied, trying to keep his anger and panic in check.

"Have you even tried speaking to Mukuro about your arrangement with her?" asked Asako. His silence was answer enough, and she sighed agitatedly. "Somehow, I figured that was the case."

"I don't know what the right next step is. This isn't the life I want us to have, but I don't know what to do so that we can have that life."

The ice maiden pushed herself from the seat and walked to the railing of the porch. She folded her arms atop the banister, leaning forward and looking out on the garden. Silence stretched between them for some time. Hiei didn't dare approach her until he could ascertain where her thoughts were.

"I started some research a while back," she began evenly. "You know, most Seconds to region leaders have historically functioned as their region's Army General?"

"No," he shrugged. "Political histories don't interest me."

"Maybe they should," she frowned. "Ignoring how odd it is that Mukuro has broken from the traditional arrangement with you, her Second, it poses-"

"Asako, drop the Mukuro shit," Hiei growled.

She whirled around the look at him, sapphire eyes narrowed and dangerous. "Do _not_ talk to me like that."

The fire apparition stood, hands clenched tightly at his sides. "Then don't keep talking to me about this. I'm tired of hearing it. Mukuro is a comrade who has been invaluable to me."

"I get it!" she snapped. "Mukuro means something to you, I've heard it before. I don't begrudge what has happened between you two, but-"

Hiei interrupted, "Don't you? It sure seems like you do."

Asako closed her eyes, carefully rearranging her expression to its perfect, neutral mask. When her eyes opened, they were dull and blank. "You're making this much more difficult than it needs to be."

That voice. That horrible, disinterested, flat voice. She hadn't used her old shell of herself against him in so long. He buried the hurt beneath another wave of anger. "I'm doing nothing of the sort. _You_ are just determined to see maliciousness where there is none. I have very few trusted comrades; don't try to sully any of those relationships."

"I can see where it appears selfish that I hold this view. But she is keeping us apart, purposely or not. When it comes to being with you, am I not allowed to be selfish?"

"To my detriment?" he asked, raising a brow.

Anger flashed in her eyes. "Being with me more and slaving away for her less is a detriment?"

"At least with this version of you, yes," the fire demon hissed.

"Don't say anything you might come to regret," she warned.

"I won't."

She approached him, nearly closing the distance between them. In a tone dripping with venom, she replied, "Then this has been particularly enlightening."

"Done with that emotionless façade?" he taunted darkly.

"I am done arguing with you. I need you to evaluate how much you want to be together, because I _cannot_ do this for much longer. Nor will I. As dearly as I love you, this is not a relationship. We are apart far more often than we are together, and we have made no progress on this conflict in months."

"You… what?" Crimson eyes blinked in surprise.

"You heard me," she assured simply, though the tension in her face and shoulders made him suspect that she hadn't meant to make such a confession.

"And you mean it?"

"I should hope you would know I'd never lie about that."

He nodded slowly. "I suppose I do know that." There was a pregnant pause before he replied, "Listen, Asako… I'm going to be gone for ten weeks. Give me that much time to figure out what I'm going to do. Please."

She considered them, blank expression back on her face. Finally, some of the tension drained from her figure and she sighed. "Fine."

* * *

The next couple days passed with very little interaction between Hiei and Asako. When they were together, it was tense and awkward. He hadn't much hope that things would be normal after their fight, but it was somehow even more painful than he expected. Thankfully, it was the last full day before leaving on his next mission. Asako was meeting with the housing board on the council as well as a few soldiers for the afternoon, leaving Hiei free to roam the market for some fruits to take with him on his travels. He had grown rather fond of the ice maidens' persimmons. It was at his favorite fruit stand that Mana found him, Rikona perched on her hip.

As usual, the small ice apparition reached for him, and he easily accepted her into his hold. The child instantly began running her clumsy fingers through his hair.

"How are things, Hiei?" Mana asked.

"Fine," he replied automatically.

"Walk with us," the Ice Maiden suggested.

Hiei grunted his reluctant agreement, knowing it would be a tolerable way of delaying heading home. He adjusted Rikona, who let out a bubbly giggle as she was settled on his shoulders. Her fingers continued their fluffing of his hair as he fell in step beside Mana. They walked together through the village, Mana pointing out new things here and there.

"We've been missing your cheery company, Hiei," the hazel eyed woman mentioned. "And I must say, I'm offended you've not come by my new shop despite it opening months ago."

Jaw tense, he replied tersely, "My role in Alaric has kept me rather busy."

"Clearly."

"I don't need attitude from you."

"No, I imagine the Honorable Lady is giving you plenty."

The fire apparition made no comment. Rikona spoke up, asking, "Leaving again?"

"Yeah, but I'll be back," he told her, trying to impart some measure of gentleness in his tone.

"Promise?"

His breath caught in his chest, but he managed, "Promise."

"Hiei, it is not my place to meddle in your relationship with the Honorable Lady-"

"You're right; it's not."

"But," Mana continued, nonplussed, "I want to make sure you understand something of particular importance. The Honorable Lady is barely a week away from beginning her hundredth year. If you want to be with her, then be with her. But if you don't or if you're unsure, then step away. Because if she chooses not to accept her first pregnancy because of you and then you leave and she must wait another hundred years, not only will that be incredibly painful for her, but it will undo a tremendous amount of her work here altering preconceived notions of men. An Ice Maiden's first pregnancy is a major event in our culture because it is a very intense, beautiful experience."

The dark haired male was silent for a moment. "It's still not your business, but that is useful information."

"Hiei, run?"

The fire apparition couldn't help but chuckle at the innocent request which broke the tension between the adults. "Mana?"

"Go ahead. Bring her home once her need for speed is sated," the woman said with a soft smile.

"Hang on, Rikona," he instructed. Once she had a solid grip on him and he had a firm hold on her shins, he took off running toward the mountains. As he went, her innocent laughter ringing in his ears and the trust of an Ice Maiden granting his freedom to entertain the child, he thought perhaps he could see his future just a bit clearer than he could before.

* * *

A/N: I do love a good fight. Thank you again for your support.


	28. Chapter 28

"You have it?"

"I do, sir. Can I ask why you requested I get it for you rather than speaking to Lord Mukuro directly?"

"No."

Hiei ignored the surprise on Kaoru's face, instead taking the old tome from his hands. The fire demon flipped open the cover, careful as it crinkled with age. The pages were yellow, the text faded to grey, but it was still legible. A quick scan down the table of contents proved that Kaoru had not failed him. The fire apparition closed the book before tucking it into his cloak and turning on his heel.

"Um, sir?" Kaoru asked, hurrying to rush into step beside him. "What do I do if its absence is noticed?"

Hiei shot the younger man a glare and asked, "Why would someone notice this particular book's absence?"

"Well, sir, it came from Lord Mukuro's private collection."

With a hum, the fire demon filed that tidbit away for later analysis. "How did you even get this, then?"

"Her private collection is just a section of the library in her fortress. Anyone can request approval for entry, and if granted, enter and use those resources. But they can't leave with-"

"Yeah, I get it," Hiei cut the soldier off. "Then tell them the truth. You were following my orders by taking and delivering this to me. However, it would behoove both of us if you avoid questioning should suspicion be raised."

Kaoru nodded slowly. "Yeah, okay, sir." He paused for a beat before asking, "How is Miss Asako doing?"

"Fine," Hiei grunted. "You're dismissed."

The younger male looked somewhat crestfallen, but offered him a solute nonetheless. Hiei nodded his acknowledgement of the gesture, then flitted away. Back in his lodgings, he perched on the windowsill and extracted the tome from his cloak. He fingered the spine gingerly, wondering why this particular volume would be under such careful watch. It was nothing one might typically consider rare or classified; it was an outline of the military history and rulers of Alaric. So what of that history would Mukuro want to keep hidden, and from who?

* * *

Alcohol was a strange poison, totally unpredictable yet full of constants in its effects. He could count on the wavering at the edges of his vision, the fuzziness at the center. His limbs would tingle as if they were numb, the sense of touch greatly dulled. Balance would be effortful, and depth perception would be a challenge. What he couldn't count on was where his train of thought would go. Would he forget his worries, retreating to a place of careless content? Or would he perseverate on life's stresses, wallowing in negative feelings, which was really no reprieve at all?

On the night marking six weeks into his mission, the latter seemed to have taken root. He had no idea what to do with the information he had gained in the prior week. His pride, his trust, and his conviction were thoroughly wounded. The future seemed hazier than it had been in years.

Hiei tapped his index and middle fingers on the bar top. A moment later, another shot of gin slid into place in front of him. Within seconds, it had met the same fate as the preceding half dozen.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

It took him a moment before he realized that the source of the voice was the attractive woman standing behind him. Even through the haze, he was surprised to see her.

"Midori?"

"In the flesh. Who'd have thought we'd cross paths again?"

"It is uncanny," he allowed. She took a seat next him and nodded at the bartender. The sleazy looking demon behind the counter slid over toward them, making eyes at the dark haired woman. She ignored him, ordering two shots of whiskey and two pints of beer. Hiei downed the offered shot promptly, and the room spun almost immediately. Funny, he'd never much cared for the loss of control alcohol provided before entering a courtship.

"You don't smell of a mating mark," Midori observed, running her index finger around the rim of her shot glass.

"Congratulations; your nose is acceptably functional."

Midori frowned then brought the amber liquor to her lips. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed it back then set the shot glass gently back on the bar top. She turned to him then, watching him nurse his beer for a few moments before saying, "Don't mess this up, Hiei."

"What could I be messing up?" he asked. "I'm not going to fuck you."

"Yeah, I know," she replied, rolling her eyes. "What I mean is you've never considered taking a mate before this woman, so she must be something. Don't mess it up."

The fire apparition glared in her direction, unable to adequately focus on her face. "Don't pretend to know me, woman."

"I know enough," she replied coolly. "I know you can hardly bear staying in bed with a woman after you've slept with her, but now you are considering tying yourself to one for the rest of your life. Given that I am positive I never left you wanting more sexually, she must be satisfying in a more important way."

"Can you not take the hint that I don't wish to speak of this with you?"

"The hint has been received, but I am choosing not to take it." Midori said. Hiei grimaced and took several long draughts from his beer. The woman took a measured sip from hers then asked, "Any chance I know her?"

"None."

"More the domestic type?"

"She's not a fighter, but hardly domestic."

Midori hummed thoughtfully. "You fuck her yet?"

Hiei spluttered over the rim of the stein. He dragged the back of his hand across his mouth. "You are walking an incredibly fine line."

"Ah, so the connection is that strong? Well, shit, Hiei, if you can't even have sex with her, you gotta resolve whatever's keeping you unmated!"

The fire apparition drained his drink, slapped down several coins, and heaved his unsteady body up off the barstool. "Goodbye, Midori."

"Goodbye, Hiei, and good luck."

As the drunk male stumbled back to his lodgings, he reflected on the parting words of his old flame. He knew what he had to do, what he wanted, but had no idea how to accomplish it. Her wish for luck was something he actually hoped would come true.

* * *

 _Hiei,_

 _I hope this letter finds you well. Have your travels for Lord Mukuro settled down at all, or do you find yourself continually in her constant service? I do hope you have been able to strike a better balance in the months since we last met._

 _Myself and my mother are well. I have been able to pull away from Gandara as of late, giving me more time at home in the Ningenkai. It has been both a most welcome reprieve as well as painfully dull. Do you feel similarly during your days off duty?_

 _It has been some time since our last gathering. In conversation with Yusuke and Kuwabara, we are all admittedly interested in the new Glacial Village. To that point, so too is Yukina. We shall not invite ourselves or impose on you, of course, but we were hoping to ascertain whether a reunion might be possible nearer your new home?_

 _Looking forward to your response, and wishing good health for you and Asasko,_

 _Kurama_

Hiei scowled, crumpling the letter in his fist and tossing it away. The fox, detective, and buffoon sure had piss-poor timing.

* * *

"W-where am I?" the elderly human male stuttered, looking around with wide, terrified eyes.

"Far from home," Hiei answered, raising a hand and gesturing over his shoulder.

"Please, sir, could you help me?"

The crimson eyed demon fought back his annoyance at the weak warbling and assured, "You need not worry for your safety."

"Not mine, no," the man shook his head. "But my wife… she's back home."

Hiei faltered, not expecting the human's concerns to be so selfless. "I'm sure she'll be fine until you get back."

"It's not about whether she will be safe, it's about being together. We have a finite amount of time, and now I'm here, wherever this is, and she's home, and-"

Luckily, Kaoru appeared then, soundlessly positioning himself behind the flustered human. His hands came around, covering the man's eyes, and there was a flash of white light. The human's legs gave beneath him, his cane falling to the ground. Kaoru caught the human, slinging him over his shoulder.

"Good job," Hiei said absently, thinking on what had just transpired. He picked up the cane and the two demons ducked through the portal the human had stumbled through.

* * *

Finally, Hiei felt free. His mind was devoid of anything beyond his primal instincts. Survival was all that mattered. He had never been so happy to run into a group of human traffickers before. They were an excellent outlet for his pent up anger and betrayal.

His fist collided with a demon's blocking bicep, and Hiei relished in the zinging recoil through his own muscles. Sweat beaded at his hairline, streaked rivers through the dirt and blood on his skin. With a forearm, he parried an incoming blow, striking back in kind. His hit landed, the enemy lost his footing, and in the next moment, Hiei had sliced clean through his torso.

The fire apparition whirled, eyes seeking out the next enemy to fall at his hand. He flew around the clearing turned battlefield, pushing his tired, aching body to keep moving, keep blocking, keep striking. His lungs burned for oxygen to fuel his straining muscles. Each new bruise throbbed dully, wounds burning just barely in his periphery. _This_ was living.

When the final body hit the ground with a thud, the fire apparition closed his eyes, concentrating on the rush of adrenaline flowing through his veins. He loved the thrill of the fight, and realized he hadn't felt so happy on the job in a long time.

"Nice work, sir," Kaoru managed through heaving breaths. The two other soldiers remained standing as well, collecting their breaths and weapons.

Hiei gave a stiff nod of recognition, then raised his voice to announce, "Let's head back. Hit the showers, reconvene in an hour in the conference room."

"Sir!" the soldiers chorused. They disappeared, following his orders and heading back toward the base.

* * *

Somehow, Hiei found himself in a bar once again. However, instead of trying to drown his sorrows, he had been roped into celebrating the fight. He and the other soldiers, Kaoru, Masahiro, and Asahi, were seated at a table in a shady bar. The fire apparition was nursing his third beer, wondering how much longer he had to stay to have put in a socially acceptable amount of time with them.

"C'mon, sir, I've never seen you drink so slow!" Kaoru slurred with a grin and a sloppy clap to Hiei's shoulder.

"You drink together frequently?" Asahi asked with a chuckle. "Hard workers, huh?"

"Choose your words carefully," Hiei warned. "I won't be cutting any slack based on intoxication."

The soldier blinked several times, processing the threat. To his aid came Masahiro who changed the topic, "Odd that we had no inkling of that trafficking route."

The group sobered a bit at that. "There was no intel suggesting there might be traffickers in the area, sir? Not at all?"

Hiei shook his head in the negative. "None."

"Maybe it wasn't their usual path?" Asahi speculated.

"Nah, they wouldn't go rogue transporting as many humans as we found with them," Masahiro disagreed.

Kaoru asked, "Were they from Gandara? We were near the territory line."

"Probably," he agreed. "They smelled of the ash from the Burning Forest."

"Lucky for those humans we happened to be so far west," Masahiro commented. "Troops hardly ever come out here."

Kaoru nodded, alcohol adding a bit too much enthusiasm to the movement. "With only two portals out this way, there's really no need to check in more than quarterly."

"Fuck," Asahi shook his head gravely. "Wonder how long nefarious groups have been exploiting that."

"I'll write up the report on this," Hiei decided, "along with a proposal for increased presence here, as well as other areas that may be at risk of the same situation."

"Better you than me," Masahiro asserted, raising his stein in a salute.

"Sir, I can-"

"It's fine."

There was silence for a moment, and it was in that silence that something caught Hiei's attention.

"… left the Glacial Village and built a new one down here."

"In Alaric?!" a second voice exclaimed. "Now, there's a risk."

"Not worth taking, evidently. They were attacked this morning."

Hiei felt the blood freeze in his veins. Kaoru was in the middle of saying something, but the fire demon heard nothing. He slammed his hand on the table, pushing himself up into a standing position. He whirled on the booth behind them, fire in his eyes and every muscle in his being tense. The two startled apparitions looked up at him in moderate fear.

"Explain everything you know about the attack you speak of."

"W-what…?" one of the other demons asked. The soldiers were sitting, stunned and silent, watching the scene unfold.

"Give me," Hiei hissed through his teeth, "everything you know about what happened in the new Glacial Village or I will gut you where you sit."

Two sets of eyes followed the glint of silver where the fire demon pulled his cloak aside and fingered the handle of his sword. The younger of the two immediately began to speak. "We don't know much, just that a band of rebels managed to cross over into Alaric from Tourin. Sounds like they headed straight for the new Glacial Village in the hopes of getting some hiroseki stones. Heard talk that they really did some damage in the span of time it took for the soldiers stationed there to round them all up."

"How many injured? Killed?" Hiei demanded, every fiber of him itching to get to Asako.

"Not sure about killed, but definitely some injured."

"Sir?" Kaoru asked, noticing the tick of Hiei's eyelid.

"Kaoru, you'll need to write up the report after all," he said stiffly. He slammed down a random sum of money and stood hastily.

"Woah, what's going on?" Asahi asked.

Hiei trusted Kaoru would explain what was necessary, but even if the soldier said too much or too little, it didn't matter in the slightest. All he could see in his mind's eye was someone slinging Asako's corpse off their sword as easily as he had done it in his earlier battle. All he could think of was her safety.

 _Asako…_

* * *

A/N: I leave you all on a bit of a cliffhanger. Only a couple chapters left, so we will reach the end next weekend. I appreciate your feedback and support immensely.


	29. Chapter 29

Even before Hiei could see the village, he smelled the smoke. The sharp scent stung his nose, but also spurred him forward. He had taken off from the Gandara border as soon as he had extracted as much information as possible from the bar patrons. Somehow, he wasn't aware of the exhaustion he was sure was plaguing his body; he had been running at top speeds the entire way back to the village, cursing how far away his work had taken him. Almost clean across Alaric, he had left his intended. He hadn't even spoken to her in the nearly eight weeks since their last fight and his departure. In the many hours of running, he realized that though he had told himself he hadn't reached out because he needed the space to figure things out on his own, in reality, he was afraid of admitting that he had been in the wrong, that he wasn't sure how to proceed in a way that worked best for them.

His thoughts were all over the place. They flitted to what condition Asako might be in numerous times, but he never stayed there long. He couldn't bear the images conjured by his mind's eye; Asako broken and bloody on the ground outside their home, Asako missing limbs, Asako with dull, blank sapphire eyes. Nearly as often, he envisioned the other women, too – Chiyo, Ume, Saki, Mana, _Rikona_ … He never would have thought any Ice Maiden aside from his twin would mean anything to him, but the new Glacial Village was his home, its people extensions of the family he had been building since Maze Castle.

The village was finally coming into his line of sight. There was a narrow plume of light, hazy smoke in the direction of the market. No active fires, then, just the remnants of one. The checkpoint at the entrance to the village was entirely torn apart. Pieces of the station had been thrown in all directions and long claw marks gouged the surface of the wood and stone elements alike. Hiei skidded to a halt, dropping to a knee and picking up a splintered rail. He brought the item to his nose and inhaled. A multitude of apparitions, a mixture of men and women, and the scent of the wastelands of Tourin flooded his senses. He could hear shouting in the distance and took some comfort in that it wasn't panicked. Crimson eyes roved upward, assessing the path of damage as it ran deeper into the village. His pace quickened as he ran forward, keeping his eyes peeled for silver hair or sapphire eyes. Soldiers saluted him half-heartedly as he passed, the men hardly pausing in the efforts of picking up rubble and debris, or sometimes guiding an ice maiden through the messy street.

As he rounded a corner, he smelled iron and saw scarlet staining the stone street. There were no bodies – enough time had passed for the soldiers to have made progress in the cleanup – for which he was thankful. Up ahead, Hiei saw a familiar young woman and flitted toward her immediately.

"Hisoka!"

The ice apparition nearly jumped from her skin at his sudden appearance. "Hiei?!"

Urgently, the fire apparition demanded, "Where is Asako?"

"The Honorable Lady, sh-she's at the hospital. We haven't gotten word yet on her condition," Hisoka replied, eyes wide and worried.

Wasting no further time, Hiei took off running again. Given the village's purpose as a medical access point for Alaric, one of the longest builds was the hospital. Hiei was suddenly glad for that fact, knowing that the large facility would have the best resources to serve Asako in the entire territory. He willed his breathing to even as he ran, desperately trying to calm himself enough to reach out his senses and filter through the energies peaking with stress to find hers specifically. He found a glimmer of it, and followed that lead, blowing by the healers at the front desk.

The fire apparition took the stairs two at a time until he reached the top floor. He threw himself around the corner, rushing down the hall to where he could now distinctly feel Asako's energy. It was weak, a flurry where it used to be blizzard. He was just barely aware of the surprise of the healers lining the hallway and their flustered words directed at him, but nothing was truly registering beyond the door at the end of the hallway growing closer.

Crimson eyes, blazing with fear and excess moisture, met startled sapphire as he burst into the room. Hiei stood in the doorway for a long moment, chest heaving as his strained lungs struggled to expand. His hand was clammy around the doorknob he still gripped. For her part, Asako looked fully taken by surprise. She was sitting up in bed, her silver hair dull and flat. Her skin was pale, save for her left arm, the left side of her neck, and the skin of her left shoulder and chest were the hospital gown did not provide cover, which was crimson and blistered, a sure indication of a second degree burn. A few patches of waxy white broke up the red – third degree burns.

Slowly, Hiei closed and locked the door behind him. Chest tight, he leaned his back against the door and stared, unable to look away from her damaged left side. Guilt, anger, regret, sadness, worry… he wasn't sure which emotion felt strongest.

"Hiei?"

"Asako," he breathed, shaken from the spell. He crossed the room in only a few strides, pausing beside her bed. Unable to help himself, he wrapped her up in his arms, mindful to keep most of the contact on her right side. He buried his nose in her hair, taking in her sweet, distinct scent. "Asako."

Her right arm wrapped around him to return the embrace and he felt her bury her face in the crook of his neck. "Hiei."

* * *

It was difficult to say how long they held the embrace. Long enough for a couple of hiruseki stones to be produced – some crystalline blue and some glassy obsidian. They were tucked safely away from any prying eyes before the knock of impatient healers pulled them from their moment. Two healers entered and checked on Asako's burns while Hiei watched intently. He winced, watching them spread a rosewater salve over the blistered skin. Asako showed no evidence of pain, but he knew how excruciating it was to have a burn that widespread. Once the healers had finished and their privacy was reestablished, Hiei slipped into bed beside the leader of the Ice Maidens. He tucked her against him, burying his face in the top of her head. He had missed her scent immensely, the feeling of her body fitting against his, the slightly cool touch against his own heated flesh.

In a voice that he couldn't quite keep from shaking, he muttered, "I'm so sorry, Asako."

"For what?" she asked, sounding taken aback.

"I could tell you didn't want me to leave again, especially without having resolved anything. I've been wrong this entire time; I shouldn't have been leaving you, my intended, alone for so long."

"Hiei," Asako replied gently, stroking her fingers up and down the forearm coiled over her midsection. "I never wanted you to stay so you could protect me. I don't need protecting. It's never been about that. From the beginning, I've wanted you in my life because I love you."

Hiei pulled her in tighter, his breath catching in his throat and his chest constricting with emotion. "I love you, too, Asako. More than anything." He sat up, pulling her with him gently. Their eyes met and he cupped her good hand between both of his. "Once you're able to come back home, would you be my mate?"

A smile turned Asako's lips. She nodded and answered earnestly, "Of course."

Hiei lifted his hands to cradle her face reverently, covering her lips with his to seal their promise.

* * *

After losing themselves to slow kisses, gentle caresses, and warm whispers of endearment, the couple settled in an embrace, their limbs tangled. Hiei was careful to mind her injuries, feeling slightly ill at the thought of how much pain she must be in.

"So what happened?" Hiei asked, only somewhat embarrassed it had taken him so long to ask.

"I was in the marketplace, spending time with some children after their lessons. A group of merchants entered the square, and I initially didn't think much of it. We have entertained a constant stream of travelers looking for trade opportunities since we opened the village to outsiders two months ago. The girls were telling me about what they learned and I noticed the merchants acting odd. They weren't engaging with our vendors at all, and had positioned themselves by Eri's fruit cart."

"Right at the head of the square," Hiei nodded his understanding. "The perfect vantage point for quick planning."

"Right," she nodded. "Then all but one of them slipped back out of the market area and the one that stayed behind pulled this orb out of his bag and tossed it toward the middle of the square. I pushed the girls behind me with my right arm, which is why it survived the explosion better than the other. With my left, I pulled up an ice shield and managed to encase the device in a thick enough dome to contain the explosion. Of course, all of the plants and Nao's unattended stand caught fire, the dome melted pretty quickly after that. With the heat, it was a lot harder to contain with the ice. Then there was a flare, and…"

She lifted her left arm as explanation.

"And the soldiers?"

"They performed amazingly. They efficiently divided themselves. The group that stayed behind evacuated the marketplace quickly and the other group went after the attackers. They rounded them up and they're being held in a cleared out space in the barracks right now."

"Any… casualties?" he asked, dreading her answer.

"Not on our side," she replied, to his relief. "Some injuries amongst the soldiers and some minor injuries amongst villagers who were forced out of the way by the attackers in their escape. The healers have been instructed to treat them prior to these burns. It will take too much of their energy to address burns of this size and severity. I'd rather that energy be used to heal the rest of them, especially the villagers. I'm worried about their reaction to all of this."

"Well, I'm worried about you. These burns are serious, Asako."

"I've been on an antibiotic regimen and they're going to start healing tomorrow. As it stands, I've been expending my energy on pain management. And anyway, I know that I can handle pain at a level they can't, so I will use that skill for the good of my people."

"How long until you can come home?" he asked, placing a kiss to her temple.

"Once the healing starts, it'll be maybe three days. Burns are particularly difficult to address, given our constitution's natural conflict with heat."

"Tomorrow morning, I'm going to seek an audience with Mukuro," Hiei stated, voicing the decision he made while speeding across Alaric.

"Oh?" she asked. He could hear the reservation in her voice.

The fire apparition nodded. "You were right. As her second, my current station is an insult. I'm done being used to the detriment of our life together. You are my priority."

"I don't want you to feel obligated to make this change because I was hurt," Asako frowned.

He shook his head and revealed, "I already knew this is what I was going to do. I wasn't sure how, but I've discovered I need to stand my ground and make a change."

Asako looked up at him with a serious gleam in her doe eyes. Finally, she smiled and jested, "Want some negotiating tips?"

* * *

"I tire of your insults, Mukuro."

"You dare come into my chambers and speak to me like that?"

"You dare take advantage of our friendship by breaking customs and relegating me to years of border control?"

Mukuro lifted a thin orange brow. "So you were the one behind the theft from my private library."

"An offense which pales in comparison to the fact that you hid the book there. The one source of information that would prove your betrayal of my trust."

The Lord of Alaric rolled her eyes. "Do not be dramatic, Hiei."

"Do not continue to condescend, Mukuro," he replied hotly. "I value our camaraderie, and I remain loyal to Alaric. However, I have proven myself time and again as worthy of the title of your second. You have given it to me in name only. I am either all in or I am all out."

"Is this an ultimatum?"

He shrugged. "If you want to use that word. I am being honest with you. I am unhappy in my work and in my life; a shift needs to happen between us, or I need to forge a new path."

"This is that icy woman speaking, not you," Mukuro sneered.

Hiei's upper lip pulled back in a snarl. "Do not speak ill of her. I am speaking for myself for the first time in years. She is my intended and I do not see her. I've hardly been home in the past year."

"That place is home now? After what they did to you?"

"Most of the women in that village did nothing to me. Since returning with Asako, they have come to accept me and I them. It's better this way than to live the rest of my life stuck in my hatred. But this is not pertinent to the conversation at hand. Do you feel I am not suited to truly be your second, your General?"

Mukuro looked at him for a long moment, lips flattened in a tight line. "I have felt you capable for some time. I also thought you a fool who needed time apart from an infatuation to see reason."

Anger boiled the fire apparition's blood, and he tried desperately to tamp it down. Not quite containing the venom in his voice, Hiei seethed, "I have seen reason. You cannot control my life or presume to know what's best for me, Mukuro. I am finally happy, and you of all people should understand what that means."

There was a stretch of silence. Mukuro's expression remained carefully neutral. Hiei sighed, shaking his head. "My offer stands. I am entirely willing to continue in my dedication to Alaric as its General as my title allows me to do. However, if this cannot be arranged, you may consider this my resignation and the removal of my allegiance to the territory. I will require an answer by nightfall."

He was almost to the door when Mukuro spoke up, "I do not need that much time." The fire apparition turned to face her once again, gazing at the cyborg expectantly. She sighed and said, "I will provide you with some briefings in the morning, General."

Hiei had to hold back the grin pulling at his lips. "Excellent. I will need to return home in two days' time. Before then, I should like to propose a new location for base training."

Mukuro chuckled and gave a single nod. "In the morning then. Dismissed."

* * *

A stirring against his chest roused Hiei from sleep. Immediately, memories of the previous night came back, and he grinned into the soft silver hair he had pressed his face into in sleep. He lifted his head to look down at the beautiful woman in his arms.

"Good morning, my mate."

Asako grinned widely and echoed, "Good morning, my mate."

"Are you feeling alright after last night?"

"Wonderful," she replied earnestly. "And you?"

"The same," he smiled.

"It was satisfactory?"

Hiei chuckled, "I've never cum like that before."

Her face flushed brilliantly, but a pleased smile tilted her lips. He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips before gently pushing the curtain of silver hair over her shoulder to reveal his mark on her neck. It was simple – two small circles where his fangs sank in and drew blood. They were obsidian, matching his energy which he pumped into her.

"I want to see it," Asako breathed. She flourished her right hand, conjuring a small sheet of clean, reflective ice. She used it as a small mirror, sapphire eyes finding the new addition to her neck. Another true smile stretched her features, and she said, "It looks right."

She offered him the pseudo-mirror next, and he tilted his chin, searching for her mark in his reflection. He found it and immediately felt pleased to see two matching circles on his neck. They were a metallic silver, standing out against the ivory hue of his skin. "Thank you, Asako."

"For what?" she asked with a light laugh.

"For everything."

* * *

A/N: Firstly, I am so sorry about the delay in updates. I was ready to go on schedule, except that my trustee laptop that has been with be for seven crazy years finally met its end. Being a social worker making next to no money, it took a while to get a replacement sorted out. Secondly, thank you so, so much for the amazing reviews I've received. It means a lot to get thoughtful feedback, and to see that people have stuck through this with me. I'm so grateful for the support.


	30. Epilogue

Epilogue

* * *

"Yo, Hiei!"

The fire apparition turned at the familiar voice. He greeted, "Yusuke."

The former detective was bounding through the square, pack slung over his shoulder. Kurama and Keiko followed at a more leisurely pace, exchanging exasperated but happy glances over their friend's exuberance. Behind them, caught up in conversation with another Ice Maiden, were Yukina and Kuwubara.

Yusuke, Keiko, and Kurama approached him and greetings were exchanged. Shortly after, the stragglers of the group arrived and Yukina embraced him happily. He was still as surprised and thankful for her acceptance as he was that first day he told her of his true identity.

"No kids this time?"

"Nah, they're with Shizuru," Kuwabara answered. "We thought we'd focus on your new addition without the threat of meltdowns and tantrums."

"And in the case of Ran, some serious jealousy," Keiko laughed, recalling her own child's distaste for being out of the limelight.

"He's not that new," Hiei pointed out. "He's a year old."

"True, but we've not seen each other since he was born," Kurama said with a soft smile. "And we do look forward to meeting him. Speaking of, where is your family?"

"Saying hello to Mana, but I stayed here to wait for your-"

"Papa!"

Hiei cut himself off, unable to help the grin splitting his lips. He turned and squatted in time to catch the little girl running towards him. Scooping her up in his arms, he faced his friends again. His daughter perched in the crook of his arm, fingers absently twirling in his hair as she gazed at their guests.

"Mariko, say hello," he encouraged.

"Uncle Yusuke, did you bring ramen?" the little girl asked.

Yusuke laughed and ruffled her hair. "Just as direct as your father, kid. Yeah, I brought some."

"Yay!" she cheered, her sapphire eyes shining with excitement.

Hiei patted down the mussed black hair which matched his own, undoing the damage caused by Yusuke's affectionate gesture. "Of course she has my forwardness."

"She's a daddy's girl alright," Asako agreed, joining the group.

Hiei watched his friends' reactions, laughing when they clearly didn't know what to devote their attention to; the small child perched on hip, or her belly, swollen with their third child.

"Jeez!" Yusuke exclaimed, never one to be without words. "You two don't take a break, do you?!"

"Yusuke!" Keiko scolded, but the swat to his bicep was notably half-hearted, her energy sapped by her surprise.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Yukina gushed. She hurried forward and wrapped Asako in a hug. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Asako replied with a soft grin. She returned the embrace with her free arm. "We always knew that the Ice Maidens were a fertile people, but evidently that trait came through in Hiei, too."

"This is going to be the last, though," Hiei asserted.

"For now," Asako winked playfully.

"Forever."

She turned to their friends and said, "He's just sore because this is going to be another girl and he can barely handle the one we have now. She decidedly has him under her spell."

Hiei couldn't help the flush of embarrassment on his cheeks. Reflexively, he spat, "Ridiculous."

The others shared a laugh at his expense, and his brow ticked with annoyance. Ever attuned to his moods, Mariko piped up, "Don't be mad, Papa! I love you and won't laugh."

Hiei couldn't help but chuckle and mutter, "Love you too, Mari."

"So what's your name?" Kurama asked, thankfully taking the attention off Hiei's fatherly affection and addressing the boy in Asako's arms.

"Everyone, meet Koji," Asako announced, adjusting the child higher up on her hip. Yukina and Keiko gushed, and Hiei had to admit that his son was worth gushing over with his crimson doe eyes and thick silver hair. The child was passed among the adults before landing with Kurama, who rubbed his cheek affectionately with his thumb.

"Shall we head back home for dinner?" Asako asked. "Everything is made and just needs heating up. Besides, you should all settle in your rooms and let me know if there's anything else you need to be comfortable in your stay."

"Oh, Asako, you shouldn't have done so much! You're with child; you shouldn't be on your feet any more than necessary!" Yukina scolded.

"Hiei is no lazy partner," Asako countered. With a fond smile, she added, "Trust me, I am not allowed to exert myself."

The group began heading back to their home, the fire demon not falling into step immediately. Rather, Hiei shifted Mariko so she could perch on his shoulders before following on the walk back to the compound. At the front of the group were Yukina, Keiko, and Asako, the other two fretting over his mate's wellbeing in her current pregnancy. Behind them, Kurama walked between Yusuke and Kuwabara, all three doting on their new nephew. Mariko babbled about something or another as they walked, all the while affectionately petting his hair.

From the beginning of his time with Asako, Hiei never would have guessed that this would be his life, but he couldn't be happier that it was.

* * *

A/N: And so this story has come to a close. Thank you again so much for sticking with me and for all of the support. I'm pleased with how this story came out, and am grateful to have received excited, thoughtful feedback throughout. I'd love to know what you all think of the ending. A question about a sequel was posed to me, and while that was never the plan, I have been tossing around a few ideas. I've been working on another story that has really been grasping my attention, and recently began a second new story, so a sequel (should one happen) will not be immediately in the works. However, that's not to say this is the definitive end of Hiei and Asako. We'll all just have to wait and see on that one. Again, thank you for the support, and I hope you enjoyed the ride.


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